Digit (anatomy)

Digit (anatomy)

A digit is one of several most distal parts of a limb, such as fingers or toes, present in many vertebrates.

Structure

Digits are typically composed of multiple phalanx bones, separated by joints. The number of digits in each limb is often considered one of the key aspects of an animal's morphology. In humans and most other primates, the digits are typically the four fingers plus the thumb on each hand, and the five toes on each foot.

File:Human hand bones.jpg

Bones of the human hand, showing the digits and associated phalanges

Function

Digits have many uses in animals, particularly in mammals, which use them for grasping and manipulating objects. Some animals, such as the giant panda, have evolved specialized digits, like the panda's "thumb", for specific uses.

Clinical significance

Abnormalities of the digits, such as polydactyly (having more than the usual number of digits) or syndactyly (having fused or webbed digits), can be indicators of certain genetic disorders. Digits can also be affected by conditions such as arthritis or gout.

See also

• Finger
• Toe
• Phalanx bone
• Polydactyly
• Syndactyly

References

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Translate: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, தமிழ், తెలుగు, Urdu, ಕನ್ನಡ, Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, বাংলা
European español, Deutsch, français, Greek, português do Brasil, polski, română, русский, Nederlands, norsk, svenska, suomi, Italian
Middle Eastern & African عربى, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Kiswahili,
Other Bulgarian, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, മലയാളം, मराठी, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, ગુજરાતી, Portuguese, Ukrainian