In biology, dactyly is the arrangement of digits (fingers and toes) on the hands, feet, or sometimes wings of a tetrapod animal. It comes from the Greek word δακτυλος = "finger". For the song by Girls Aloud see Biology (song) Biology studies the variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology (from Greek: βίος, bio, life; and λόγος, logos, speech lit. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the body part. ... For other uses, see Hand (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Wing (disambiguation). ... Groups See text. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...

Sometimes the ending "-dactylia" is used. The derived adjectives end with "-dactyl" or "-dactylous".

Pentadactyly

Pentadactyly (from Greek pente-="five" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is the condition of having five digits on each limb. It appears that all land vertebrates are descended from an ancestor with a pentadactyl limb, although many species have now lost or transformed some or all of their digits by the process of evolution. Despite the individual variations listed below, the relationship to the original five-digit 'model' can be traced. This phenomenon featured in the work of Charles Darwin who noteably said; "What could be more curious than that the hand of man formed for grasping, that of a mole, for digging, the leg of a horse, the paddle of a porpoise and the wing of a bat, should all be constructed on the same pattern and should include similar bones and in the same relative positions?" Darwin was suggesting that the pentadactyl limb represents some of the strongest evidence for the theory of evolution as it indicates a common ancestry for all land vertebrates. This article is about evolution in biology. ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ...

Tetradactyly

Tetradactyly (from Greek tetra-="four" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is the condition of having four digits on a limb, as in many amphibians and birds. Some mammals also exhibit tetradactyly (for example the hind limbs of dogs and cats). For other uses, see Amphibian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ...

Tridactyly

Tridactyly (from Greek tri- = "three" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is the condition of having three digits on a limb, as in the Rhinoceros and ancestors of the horse such as Protohippus and Hipparion. These belong to the Perissodactyla. Some birds also have three toes. For other uses, see Rhinoceros (disambiguation). ... Reconstruction, left forefoot skeleton (third digit emphasized yellow) and longitudinal section of molars of selected prehistoric horses The evolution of the horse involves the gradual development of the modern horse from the fox-sized, forest-dwelling Hyracotherium. ... Species Hipparion is an extinct genus of horse. ... Families Equidae Tapiridae Rhinocerotidae The odd-toed ungulates or Perissodactyla are large to very large browsing and grazing mammals with relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe. ...

Didactyly

Didactyly (from Greek di-="two" plus δακτυλος = "finger") or bidactyly is the condition of having two digits on each limb, as in the Two-toed Sloth, Choloepus didactylus. In humans this name is used for an abnormality in which the middle digits are missing, leaving only the thumb and fifth finger. Cloven-hoofed mammals (such as deer, sheep and cattle - 'Artiodactyla') walk on two digits. Species Choloepus didactylus Choloepus hoffmanni The two extant species of two-toed sloths are Linnaeuss and Hoffmanns Two-toed Sloth. ... Families Suidae Hippopotamidae Tayassuidae Camelidae Tragulidae Moschidae Cervidae Giraffidae Antilocapridae Bovidae The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ...

Monodactyly

Monodactyly (from Greek monos- = "one" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is the condition of having a single digit on a limb, as in modern horses. These belong to the Perissodactyla. Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Families Equidae Tapiridae Rhinocerotidae The odd-toed ungulates or Perissodactyla are large to very large browsing and grazing mammals with relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe. ...

Syndactyly

Human foot with partial simple syndactyly.

Syndactyly (from Greek συν- = "together" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is a condition where two or more digits are fused together. It occurs normally in some mammals, such as the siamang. It occurs as an unusual condition in humans. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2272x1662, 565 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Apoptosis Dactyly Webbed toes ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2272x1662, 565 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Apoptosis Dactyly Webbed toes ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... Binomial name (Raffles, 1821) The Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) is an arboreal, black furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra. ...

Syndactyly can be simple or complex. In simple syndactyly, adjacent fingers or toes are joined by soft tissue. In complex syndactyly, the bones of adjacent digits are fused. The kangaroo exhibits complex syndactyly. Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning large foot). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo...

Simple syndactyly can be full or partial, and is present at birth (congenital). In early human fetal development, webbing (syndactyly) of the toes and fingers is normal. At about 16 weeks of gestation, apoptosis takes place and an enzyme dissolves the tissue between the fingers and toes, and the webbing disappears. In some fetuses, this process does not occur completely between all fingers or toes and some residual webbing remains. The exact cause is not known. In cases, this condition appears to be hereditary. A section of mouse liver showing an apoptotic cell indicated by an arrow Apoptosis (pronounced apo tō sis) is a process of suicide by a cell in a multicellular organism. ...

In the case of human feet, syndactyly does not affect the function of the foot or toes and does not interfere with walking or swimming or any other activities. Although webbing of the fingers usually does not affect the function of the hand, it can impair function of the fingers. Surgery may be performed to separate webbed fingers or toes. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications. This procedure involves local anesthesia with a sedative and can be done just with a local without the sedative for adults if desired. In addition to the incision between the toes, sometimes it is necessary to remove some skin from elsewhere on the body to graft into the newly exposed space between the toes.

In the case of webbed toes, surgical separation is a purely cosmetic operation with no medical benefits. the feet of a gull showing webbed toes. ...

Polydactyly

Polydactyly (from Greek πολυ- = "many" plus δακτυλος = "finger") (or hyperdactyly, from Greek hyper- = "too many" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is when a limb has more than five digits. This can be:- This article is about the human congenital disorder (disease). ...

• As a result of congenital abnormality in a normally pentadactyl animal. Polydactyly is very common among domestic cats.
• Normality in some early tetrapod aquatic animals, such as Acanthostega gunnari (Jarvik 1952), which is one of an increasing number of genera of stem-tetrapods known from the Upper Devonian, which are providing insights into the appearance of tetrapods and the origin of limbs with digits. For more information, see polydactyly.

Groups See text. ... // Binomial name Acanthostega gunnari Jarvik, 1952 Acanthostega is an extinct tetrapod genus, among the first vertebrate animals to have recognizable limbs. ... For the Celtic language, see Southwestern Brythonic language; for the residents of the English county, see Devon. ... This article is about the human congenital disorder (disease). ...

Hypodactyly

Hypodactyly (from Greek hypo- = "too few" plus δακτυλος = "finger") is having too few digits when not caused by an amputation. Partial hand amputation Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ...

Ectrodactyly

Ectrodactyly is the congenital absence of all or part of one or more fingers or toes. This term is used for a range of conditions from aphalangia (in which some of the phalanges or finger bones are missing), to adactyly (the absence of a digit). Ectrodactyly, commonly known as Lobster claw syndrome, is a rare congenital deformity of the hand where the middle digit is missing, and the hand is cleft where the metacarpal of the finger should be. ... The phalanges in a human hand The name Phalanges is commonly given to the bones that form fingers and toes. ...

A fusing of almost all digits on all of the hands and feet is ectrodactyly. News anchor Bree Walker is probably the best-known person with this condition, which affects about one in 91,000 people. It is conspicuously more common in the Vadoma in Zimbabwe. Bree Walker (born February 26, 1953) is a well-known television network news anchor in San Diego, New York City, and Los Angeles. ... The Vadoma, also Wadoma (singular Mudoma) are a tribe living in the west of Zimbabwe, especially in the Urungwe and Sipolilo districts on the Zambezi river valley. ...

In birds

types of bird feet

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (881x831, 67 KB) Positions of digits in bird feet File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dactyly ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (881x831, 67 KB) Positions of digits in bird feet File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dactyly ...

Anisodactyly

Anisodactyly is the most common arrangement of digits in birds, with three toes forward and one back. This is common in songbirds and other perching birds, as well as hunting birds like eagles, hawks, and falcons. A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Oscines of Passeriformes (ca. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Genera Several, see below. ... Genera Accipiter Micronisus Melierax Urotriorchis Erythrotriorchis The term hawk refers to birds of prey in any of three senses: Strictly, to mean any of the species in the bird sub-family Accipitrinae in the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis, and Megatriorchis. ... For other uses, see Falcon (disambiguation). ...

Syndactyly

Syndactyly, as it occurs in birds, is like anisodactyly, except that the third and fourth toes (the outer and middle forward-pointing toes), or three toes, are fused together, as in the Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon. This is characteristic of Coraciiformes (Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Rollers, and relatives). Binomial name Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus, 1758) The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. ... Families Alcedinidae Halcyonidae Cerylidae Brachypteraciidae Coraciidae Leptosomidae Meropidae Momotidae Todidae Bucerotidae Upupidae Phoeniculidae The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills. ... Families Alcedinidae Halcyonidae Cerylidae Kingfishers are birds of the three families Alcedinidae (river kingfishers), Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers), and Cerylidae (water kingfishers). ... Genera Nyctyornis Meropogon Merops The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. ... Genera Coracias Eurystomus The Rollers are an Old World family of near passerine birds. ...

Zygodactyly

Zygodactyly (from Greek ζυγον, a yoke) is an arrangement of digits in birds, with two toes facing forward (digits 2 and 3) and two back (digits 1 and 4). This arrangement is most common in arboreal species, particularly those that climb tree trunks or clamber through foliage. Zygodactyly occurs in the woodpeckers (including in flickers), in nuthatches, and in parrots. For other uses, see Yoke (disambiguation). ... The kinkajou is an arboreal mammal. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Genera Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo For other uses, see Woodpecker (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a North American woodpecker with a brown back. ... Species 22 species, see text The nuthatches are a family, Sittidae, of generally very similar small passerine birds found throughout the Northern hemisphere. ... Systematics (but see below) Family Cacatuidae (cockatoos) Subfamily Microglossinae (Palm Cockatoo) Subfamily Calyptorhynchinae (dark cockatoos) Subfamily Cacatuinae (white cockatoos) Family Psittacidae (true parrots) Subfamily Loriinae (lories and lorikeets) Subfamily Psittacinae (typical parrots and allies) Tribe Arini (American psittacines) Tribe Cyclopsitticini (fig parrots) Tribe Micropsittini (pygmy parrots) Tribe Nestorini (kakas and...

Heterodactyly

Heterodactyly is like zygodactyly, except that digits 3 and 4 point forward and digits 1 and 2 point back. This is only found in trogons. Genera Apaloderma Euptilotis Harpactes Pharomachrus Priotelus Trogon The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. ...

Pamprodactyly

Pamprodactyly is an arrangement in which all four toes point forward. It is a characteristic of swifts (Apodidae). For other uses, see Swift (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of the word Swift see Swift (disambiguation). ...