Toes Revealing Paws

Glossary

Toes of a Dog's Paw

Digit

The distal parts of a limb, such as fingers or toes.

Digit of Dog's Forepaw

Foot

The distal part of a limb that bears weight, and facilitates locomotion and manipulation.

The limbs of quadrupeds, such as dogs and cats, are legs.

Kitten Lying

Pentadactyl

Having five digits (fingers, toes) on a limb.

Human Hand

Medial

Relating to, or located towards, the middle of the body, or a structure of the body.

Medial Term Illustrated by Bulldog

Lateral

Located away from the middle of the body, or a structure of the body.

Relating to or located towards the left or the right side.

Lateral Illustrated by Bulldog

Vestigial

Remaining as a remnant or trace of a structure that had been present in the ancestors of a species. Often the original functionality is (to some degree) now lacking, and the structure has become rudimentary or degenerate.

Vestigial

Remaining as a remnant or trace of a structure that had been present in the ancestors of a species.

Often the original functionality is (to some degree) now lacking, and the structure has become rudimentary or degenerate.

Title8

text

Title9

text

hover over shaded words to reveal more

Toes

Digits of a foot.

Toes are named and identified by Roman numerals.

In a pentadactyl (five-fingered or five-toed) arrangement, the most medial digit, if present, is I (e.g. the human thumb) and the most lateral is V (e.g. the human little finger).

Revealing Paws

dogs' and cats' paws and tracks

Digit

Foot

Pentadactyl

Medial

Lateral

Vestigial

Vestigial

Title8

Title9

hover over shaded words to reveal more

Toes

Digits of a foot.

Toes are named and identified by Roman numerals.

In a pentadactyl (five-fingered or five-toed) arrangement, the most medial digit, if present, is I (e.g. the human thumb) and the most lateral is V (e.g. the human little finger).

In dogs and cats, toe I (the dew claw) is often vestigial.

Also known as digits.