Segment of the forearm corresponding to the metacarpus, which articulates with the carpals at one end and with the phalanges at the other end.[AAO]

The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the manus skeleton that is located between the phalanges (bones of the fingers) distally and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm. The metacarpus consists of metacarpal bones. The metacarpals form a transverse arch to which the rigid row of distal carpal bones are fixed. The peripheral metacarpals (those of the thumb and little finger) form the sides of the cup of the palmar gutter and as they are brought together they deepen this concavity. The index metacarpal is the most firmly fixed, while the thumb metacarpal articulates with the trapezium and acts independently from the others. The middle metacarpals are tightly united to the carpus by intrinsic interlocking bone elements at their bases. The ring metacarpal forms a transitional element of the semi-independent last metacarpal. [WP,unvetted].

Metacarpals:numbered-en.svg

set of metacarpals

skeleton of metacarpus

ossa metacarpi [I-V]

metacarpals set

metacarpal bones

anterior metapodial skeleton

set of metacarpals [I-V]

metacarpal skeleton

ossa metacarpalia [I-V]

set of metacarpal bones

metacarpals [I-V]

uberon

metacarpalia

fore metapodium

anterior metapodium

fore metapodial skeleton

UBERON:0010544