Internal supporting skeletal structures. In paired appendages, the identities and articulations of elements provide stronger comparative information than the mere presence of mineralized tissue.
An anatomical joint is a connection between skeletal elements. Connections can allow extensive movement, as in a synovial joint, or provide a more restricted union. The category concerns the connection itself and does not require a fluid-filled cavity in every case.
The pelvic girdle connects the hindlimbs to the axial skeleton through the pelvic bones and their articulations. It transfers loads while enclosing and supporting pelvic structures. Its arrangement differs among vertebrates according to posture, locomotion and reproductive constraints.
The pectoral girdle supports the anterior paired appendages and connects them with the trunk. In humans, the scapula and clavicle provide a mobile arrangement for the upper limb. Comparative anatomy asks which components and connections are shared among vertebrate lineages.
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