Dog · Muscle · Thorax
Descending pectoral muscle
Musculus pectoralis descendens
Adducts the forelimb and helps advance it.
- System
- Muscle
- Region
- Thorax
- Sides
- Paired: left and right
Where it runs from and to
A muscle is told apart from its neighbours by what it takes hold of at each end, which is also what decides what it does when it shortens.
- Origin
- Manubrium of the sternum.
- Insertion
- Humerus, along the ridge distal to its greater tubercle.
- Action
- Adducts the forelimb and helps advance it.
- Nerve
- Cranial pectoral nerves.
Written for Vetomica in its own words from the standard reference anatomy of the dog; the books it was checked against are listed below.
What it works on
Cranial superficial pectoral, forms the lateral pectoral groove with cleidobrachialis.
Bones it takes hold of
Muscles and ligaments it works with
- Transverse pectoral muscle
- Cleidobrachialis
- Deep pectoral muscle
- Sternocephalicus
- Biceps muscle of the arm
Terminology
- English
- Descending pectoral muscle
- Latin (NAV)
- Musculus pectoralis descendens
- Status
- A valid term in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria
References
Where to read this structure in full, and where the named parts above were read.
- NAV 2017Myologia: musculi colli, trunci et membri thoracici (extrinsic muscles of the thoracic limb)
- Miller's Anatomy of the Dog, 5th ed.The Muscular System: muscles of the thoracic limb (extrinsic)
- König & LiebichMuscles of the thoracic limb
- Dyce, Sack & WensingThe forelimb of the carnivores