Fig. 2.

Distal part of the left hindlimb in an African elephant. (a) Lateral view, loaded; (b) lateral view, lifted; (c) distal view (sole); (d–f) plantar views, transverse sections in positions I, II and III (broken lines in a and c). Stippled: foot cushion (in a–c), digital compartments (in d) and metatarsal compartment (in e and f), black line (in a and b): outline of soft tissues of the locomotor apparatus (ligaments, muscles, tendons). ML, lateral malleolus (fibula); C, calcaneus; OTQ, os tarsale quartum; 2–5, 2nd−5th ray (proximal or middle phalanges); PH, prehallux; S, skin; SS, sole skin; MFS, main fibrous sheet of the metatarsal compartment; B, bundle of vessels, nerves and fibrous tissue; SAF, strips of adipose and fibrous tissue outside the metatarsal compartment of the foot cushion.