Furcula

Furcula

The furcula ("little fork" in Latin) is a forked bone found in birds and theropod dinosaurs, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles. In birds, its function is the strengthening of the thoracic skeleton to withstand the rigors of flight.

In human culture

The furcula is commonly referred to as a wishbone or merrythought because of the tradition that when two people hold the two sides of the bone and pull it apart, the one who gets the larger part will have a wish granted. Today the wishbone, once removed from the turkey or chicken, is first dried and then held between the little fingers of two opposing "wishers". Once the wish has been made the bone is pulled by each person. The wisher who breaks off a larger section of bone is assumed to have their wishes granted. Because this is commonly a Thanksgiving tradition, this bone is also called the Thanksgiving boneFact|date=July 2008.

In the Southern United States, it is also referred to as pulley bone, especially when served as a piece of chicken with meat from both adjacent breasts attached. [http://www.tnfarmbureau.org/wcms/Editor/assets/Read%20All%20About%20It/1-29-07.pdf]

ee also

*Bird anatomy

References

* [http://www.dinodata.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8942&Itemid=157 "Archaeopteryx and its links to both birds and dinosaurs"] at DinoData


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fúrcula — s. f. 1. Forquilha pequena. 2.  [Antigo] [Anatomia] Clavícula. 3. fúrcula do esterno: chanfradura na parte superior do esterno …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • fúrcula — (Del lat. furcŭla). f. Zool. Hueso de las aves con aspecto de horquilla, formado por la soldadura de ambas clavículas …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Furcula — Fur cu*la, n. [L., a forked prop, dim. of furca a fork.] (Anat.) A forked process; the wishbone or furculum. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Furcŭla — Furcŭla, so v.w. Unpaariges Gabelbein …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Furcŭla — (lat.), s. Gabelbein …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • furcula — ● furcula nom féminin (du latin furca, fourche) Chez les oiseaux, fourchette (os) …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Furcula — Furcula, Gabelbein ⇒ Schultergürtel …   Deutsch wörterbuch der biologie

  • furcula — [fʉr′kyo͞o lə] n. pl. furculae [fʉr′kyo͞olē, fʉr′kyo͞olī΄] [ModL, forked support, dim. of L furca, a fork] Anat. Zool. any forked part or organ, as the forked tail of certain springing insects or the wishbone furcular [fʉr′kyo͞olər] adj …   English World dictionary

  • Fúrcula — Fúrculas, de plástico (izquierda) y real de pavo (derecha). La fúrcula ( pequeña horca en latín) es un hueso en forma de horquilla que poseen únicamente las aves y los dinosaurios terópodos, formado por la fusión de las dos clavículas. Es… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Furcula — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Furcula est in terme issu du latin qui signifie petite fourche, il désigne habituellement : La furcula est un os des membres antérieurs des oiseaux.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • fúrcula — ► sustantivo femenino ZOOLOGÍA Hueso de las aves con aspecto de horquilla, formado por la soldadura de ambas clavículas. * * * fúrcula (del lat. «furcŭla») f. Zool. Pieza del esqueleto de las aves formada por la soldadura de las dos clavículas. * …   Enciclopedia Universal

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