Architecture of arm muscles of sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

The present study was undertaken to systematically establish the myological characteristics of the arm region of sloth bear which might help to carryout morphological assessments. Carcasses of sloth bears were obtained from the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre of Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bangalore. In this study it was observed that M. Biceps brachi was principally made up of the long head and its tendon coursed within bicipital groove. M. brachialis lodged in the musculo spiral groove and coursed in a spiral like fashion. M. triceps comprised of five heads with M. triceps longus and medialis again subdivided two parts, got inserted on the olecranon process. M. triceps lateralis was smaller than M. triceps longus which run diagonally across the outer surface of arm. M. anconeus lied deep to the distal part of the M. triceps. In sloth bear attachment of muscle was more proximally compared with other carnivore which may account for the slow gait of bears.