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Publisher Summary This chapter presents the anatomy of guinea pig. It provides a general description of osteology, myology, and neurology. The number of bones of the skeleton varies with age. A number of separate bones in immature animals become fused in adults. The skeleton is comprised of two parts, (1) the axial—the skull, hyoid apparatus, vertebrae, ribs and sternum, and (2) appendicular—the pectoral and pelvic girdles, and pectoral and pelvic limbs. The muscular system of guinea pig is well defined with exception of the cutaneous muscles. Particularly, those of the head where they tend to fuse, making identification of individual muscles difficult. The masticatory muscles are well developed, particularly the masseter and digastricus muscles, reflecting the gnawing behavior of these animals and mastication by grinding rather than shearing. The pterygoid and temporalis muscles are relatively small. The four-chambered heart lies in the pericardial sac within the mediastinum. The atria are thin walled and are separated from the ventricles by the coronary sulcus which contains the right and left coronary arteries and veins. |
