Gross anatomy of the shoulder and arm intrinsic muscles in the white-footed tamarin (Saguinus leucopus - Günther, 1876): Inter- and intraspecific anatomical variations.

BACKGROUND

Saguinus leucopus is a Neotropical primate with an arboreal quadrupedal locomotion pattern, which requires wide movements of the shoulder and arm. This investigation studies the muscles of these regions in order to serve as a basis for clinical and surgical procedures and to compare with other primates.

METHODS

Gross dissections of twenty thoracic limbs were performed.

RESULTS

The muscles examined were the deltoid, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major, teres minor, coracobrachialis longus, coracobrachialis brevis, biceps brachii, brachialis, triceps brachii, tensor fasciae antebrachii, and anconeus epitrochlearis. The anconeus was absent. The following variants were found: an accessory head of the biceps brachii, the unilateral absence of the short head of the biceps brachii, an accessory head of the coracobrachialis longus, and one infraspinatus muscle innervated by the axillary nerve.

CONCLUSIONS

These muscles are adapted to quadrupedal locomotion and can have inter- and intraspecific variations in their attachments and innervation.