Mogera femorococcygeus

WHIDDEN, HOWARD P., 2000, Comparative Myology of Moles and the Phylogeny of the Talpidae (Mammalia, Lipotyphla), American Museum Novitates 3294, pp. 1-53 : 35

M. femorococcygeus ( fig. 14 )

ORIGIN: From a fascial sheet attaching to the sacral spine and from the surface of M. gluteus maximus .

INSERTION: Via a fascial sheet that attaches to the falciform process and crest of the tibia, and that covers the adjacent surface of the shank.

REMARKS: This muscle has the same general form in Condylura , Galemys , Neurotrichus , Parascalops , Scalopus , Scapanus , Talpa , and Urotrichus . In Uropsilus , this muscle does not originate from the surface of M. gluteus maximus , but it is otherwise similar. In Desmana , some anterior fibers of this muscle originate from the third trochanter of the femur and join the fascial sheet of the main part of the muscle to insert on the falciform process. These fibers represent one head of Dobson’s (1882–1890) M. biceps flexor cruris, with the other heads being the remainder of M. femorococcygeus plus Mm. biceps femoris and tenuissimus.

Figures

Fig. 14. Lateral view of pelvic limb muscles of Parascalops.