Gross Morphological Studies on the Pelvic Girdle of Spot-Billed Pelicans (Pelecanus philippensis)

The pelvic bone consisting of ilium, ischium and pubis were fused with each other and also with the transverse and spinous processes of synsacral vertebrae. The fossa renalis was shallow. In the post-acetabular part, the dorsal surface had 7 or 8 openings on either side of the median ridge. The perforated acetabulum was formed by all the three bones. The anti-trochanter was present caudo-dorsal to the acetabulum. The cranial part of ischium was a thick rod-like portion. The caudal part of ischium was quadrilateral in shape. The ischiatic foramen was an elongated, large and oval shaped. Incisura pubo-ischiadia was long. The pubis was a thin, rib-like bony rod and projected caudally beyond the ischium. The processus pectinealis was absent.