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Dorsum (biology)
 
 
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In anatomy
Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology that is the consideration of the body plan. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy and plant anatomy ....
, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals (like humans) that walk upright. In vertebrate
Vertebrate

Vertebrates are members of the subphylum Vertebrata, chordates with Vertebras or Vertebral columns. The grouping sometimes includes the hagfish, which have no vertebrae, but are genetically quite closely related to lampreys, which do have vertebrae....
s the dorsum contains the backbone
Vertebral column

In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column of 24 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsum aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs....
. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow off that side of an animal. The opposite side of the animal is described with the terms ventrum and ventral.

In humans, the top of the foot is considered dorsal.






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In anatomy
Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology that is the consideration of the body plan. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy and plant anatomy ....
, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals (like humans) that walk upright. In vertebrate
Vertebrate

Vertebrates are members of the subphylum Vertebrata, chordates with Vertebras or Vertebral columns. The grouping sometimes includes the hagfish, which have no vertebrae, but are genetically quite closely related to lampreys, which do have vertebrae....
s the dorsum contains the backbone
Vertebral column

In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column of 24 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsum aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs....
. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow off that side of an animal. The opposite side of the animal is described with the terms ventrum and ventral.

In humans, the top of the foot is considered dorsal. It contains small extensor muscles and extensor tendons from the leg
Leg

Leg may refer to the following places in Poland:*A former name for the town of Elk *Leg, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Leg, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship ...
. It is supplied by the deep peroneal nerve.

Examples of anatomical terms that include "dorsal" are the dorsal fin
Dorsal fin

A wikt:dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of some fish, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, as well as the ichthyosaurs. Its main purpose is to stabilize the animal against rolling and assist in sudden turns....
 of fish, dorsal root ganglion
Dorsal root ganglion

In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root ganglion is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent nerve spinal nerves....
, dorsal root
Dorsal root

In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root is the afferent nervesomatosensory system root of a spinal nerve.At the distal end of the dorsal root is the dorsal root ganglion, which contains the neuron cell bodies of the nerve fibres conveyed by the root....
, dorsal nerve
Dorsal nerve

Dorsal nerve may refer to:*Dorsal nerve of clitoris*Dorsal nerve of the penis...
, dorsum sellae
Dorsum sellae

In the sphenoid bone, the anterior boundary of the sella turcica is completed by two small eminences, one on either side, called the middle clinoid processes, while the posterior boundary is formed by a square-shaped plate of bone, the dorsum sell?, ending at its superior angles in two Tubercle , the posterior clinoid processes, the size and...
, dorsal arch, dorsalis pedis artery
Dorsalis pedis artery

In human anatomy, the dorsalis pedis artery , is a blood vessel of the lower limb that carries oxygenated blood to the Dorsum surface of the foot....
, dorsal ramus, dorsal scales
Snake scales

Snakes, like other reptiles, have a skin covered in Scale s. Snakes are entirely covered with scales or scutes of various shapes and sizes....
 of snakes, dorsal respiratory group
Dorsal respiratory group

The dorsal respiratory group is located in the dorsomedial region of the Medulla oblongata, and is composed of cells in the solitary tract nucleus....
, dorsal venous arch, and dorsiflexion
Dorsiflexion

Dorsiflexion is the movement which decreases the angle between the foot and the leg, so that the toes are brought closer to the Tibia. The movement moving in opposite directions is called plantarflexion....
 among others.

In lepidoptera
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
, the dorsum also refers to the trailing edge of the wing (the leading edge is called the costa
Glossary of Lepidopteran terms

This glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of lepidopteran species.Like all insects, adult butterflies have three distinctive segments to their bodies, the head, thorax and abdomen....
).

Human neuroanatomy

In human neuroanatomy
Neuroanatomy

Neuroanatomy is the branch of anatomy that studies the anatomical organization of the nervous system. In vertebrate animals, the peripheral nervous system that the myriad nerves take from the brain to the rest of the body , and the internal structure of the brain in particular, are both extremely elaborate....
, once you reach the forebrain, dorsal is equivalent to superior
Superior

Superior may refer to:*Superior : something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind...
 and ventral is equivalent to inferior.

Nerve rootlets stemming from the spinal cord
Spinal cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of neuron and glia that extends from the brain. The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system....
 (CNS
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
) form dorsal (sensory) and ventral (motor) roots before these unite to form the spinal nerve
Spinal nerve

The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal nerve, which is formed from the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the spinal cord....
 (PNS
Peripheral nervous system

The peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the central nervous system , which consists of the brain and spinal cord. The main function of the PNS is to connect the CNS to the limbs and organs....
).

See also

  • Anatomical terms of location
    Anatomical terms of location

    Standard anatomical terms of location are employed in sciences dealing with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities which might otherwise arise....