← Back to catalogue
Research draft

humerus

vr.tr.humerus · PHY.MAT

Enable an agent to recognise a humerus, record its anatomical and structural state, and determine which comparisons, handling steps or specialist assessments are appropriate.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read

Researched by: Codex

Purpose and description

Enable an agent to recognise a humerus, record its anatomical and structural state, and determine which comparisons, handling steps or specialist assessments are appropriate.

The humerus is the paired long bone of the upper arm in humans and the corresponding proximal forelimb bone in other tetrapods, articulating proximally with the scapula and distally with the radius and ulna in humans.

It can be Identify and orient a humerus or fragment using preserved landmarks and species-appropriate references.; Measure humeral dimensions and alignment using explicitly recorded anatomical conventions.; Locate observations on the proximal end, shaft or distal end for comparison across images or specimens.; Compare maturity, geometry and surface condition against appropriate reference material.; Flag structural discontinuities, uncertain identification or preservation risks for specialist assessment.; Link the bone to neighbouring bones, attachment structures and relevant clinical or collection records..

Distinguishing features

In an articulated skeleton, occupies the segment between the shoulder region and the radius and ulna, rather than the forearm or thigh.

In typical human anatomy, combines a rounded proximal head and greater and lesser tubercles with a distal capitulum and trochlea.

Unlike the human femur, lacks a trochanteric arrangement and distal knee-bearing condyles; fragment identification must use preserved landmarks rather than size alone.

Unlike the paired radius and ulna, forms the single long bone of the typical upper-arm segment.

Human laterality can be checked using the medially directed head, posterior olecranon fossa and lateral capitulum; other species require their own anatomical criteria.

Scope

+ Identification of a whole humerus or humeral fragment, including species context and laterality

+ Proximal end, shaft and distal end, with their anatomical landmarks

+ Dimensions, alignment and internal bone architecture

+ Developmental maturity, remodelling and structural integrity

+ Articular and muscle-attachment relationships relevant to humeral function

- The whole organism, its taxonomy and its general health

- The scapula, radius and ulna as separately modelled bones

- Complete shoulder and elbow joint systems, including their soft tissues

- Whole-limb movement, muscular coordination and neurological control

- Disease definitions, clinical diagnosis and treatment protocols

- Orthopaedic implants and prostheses as manufactured devices

Characteristics

Organism and anatomical context
Associated organism or specimen; species identification with evidence and confidence Landmarks, proportions and developmental interpretation vary across species.
Laterality
Left; right; indeterminate Supports correct orientation, pairing and interpretation of asymmetry.
Represented humeral regions
Whole bone; proximal end; shaft; distal end; combination; unidentified fragment Determines which identification tests and measurements are possible.
Maximum humeral length
mm, with endpoint definition and measurement method Supports proportion comparisons while distinguishing direct measurements from reconstructed lengths.
Shaft cross-sectional geometry
Diameters and cortical thickness in mm; areas in mm²; specified shaft level and orientation Describes structural geometry relevant to loading and local bone loss.
Head orientation relative to distal reference
Degrees, with proximal axis, distal axis and angular convention recorded Prevents incompatible humeral torsion or version measurements from being compared.
Skeletal maturity
Site-specific growth plate or fusion observations; immature; mature; indeterminate Distinguishes developmental features from damage and constrains age interpretation.
Articular relationships
Proximal relationship to scapula; distal relationships to radius and ulna; observed or inferred Establishes anatomical placement without treating the whole joint as part of the bone.
Structural continuity and alignment
Intact; discontinuous; healing; remodelled; indeterminate, with location and alignment description Separates observed integrity from assumptions about functional capacity.
Observation context
In vivo imaging; articulated specimen; isolated specimen; archaeological material; other documented context Controls what can be observed and whether apparent changes may reflect preparation or preservation.

Also called

right humerusleft humerus

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 19 findings · 30 questions.

Humeral identity Establishes that the observed element is a humerus and identifies the anatomical context in which its features should be interpreted.

An isolated bone or fragment cannot be interpreted reliably from a human adult template without checking species, completeness and orientation.

Element recognition

Tests humeral identity against neighbouring long bones.

Diagnostic landmark combination

Records the preserved features supporting humeral identification and plausible alternatives.

  1. Which preserved head, tubercle, shaft or distal articular features support identification as a humerus? definition
  2. What evidence distinguishes this element from a femur, radius, ulna or an unidentifiable long-bone fragment? boundary

Species, side and association

Places the humerus within an organism or specimen context.

Anatomical attribution

Keeps species attribution, laterality and association with other remains explicit and independently supported.

  1. Which specimen records or comparative anatomical references support the species attribution? provenance
  2. Which landmarks establish left or right, and is enough of the bone preserved to apply those criteria? measurement
  3. Is association with a particular organism or opposite-side humerus documented or inferred? provenance
Regional anatomy Organises observations around the humeral ends and shaft.

The head, shaft and distal articular region have different landmarks and relationships, so observations require precise anatomical placement.

Proximal humerus

Describes the head, neck region and proximal attachment landmarks.

Head and tubercle configuration

Records proximal shape and orientation using landmarks appropriate to the identified species.

  1. Which head margins, neck boundaries, tubercles and intertubercular groove features are present and observable? definition
  2. How are head dimensions and orientation measured relative to the humeral shaft? measurement

Shaft and distal humerus

Locates shaft landmarks and distal joint-facing structures.

Shaft-to-elbow landmarks

Maps shaft surfaces, attachment areas and distal articular landmarks without assuming every species shares human morphology.

  1. Which shaft borders, deltoid attachment features and nerve-related grooves can be identified in this specimen? definition
  2. Which distal articular surfaces, epicondyles and fossae are present, and how are observations located relative to them? measurement
Growth and bone architecture Records humeral development and the arrangement of cortical and trabecular bone.

Growth-related boundaries and internal architecture affect interpretation of shape and integrity but cannot be inferred from external size alone.

Humeral maturation

Tracks observable developmental features at the humeral ends.

Ossification and fusion evidence

Separates direct observations of ossification and fusion from reference-dependent maturity estimates.

  1. Which proximal and distal ossification centres or growth plate boundaries are visible, and what is their fusion state? measurement
  2. Which species- and population-appropriate reference supports any maturity or age interpretation? provenance

Cortex and trabeculae

Describes the shaft cortex, medullary space and trabecular regions near the ends.

Regional internal structure

Records internal measurements together with their anatomical sampling locations and imaging limitations.

  1. At which humeral levels and orientations were cortical thickness, medullary dimensions or trabecular features measured? measurement
  2. Does the observation method support a calibrated density measurement, a geometric measurement or only a qualitative description? boundary
Articulation and load transfer Connects humeral geometry to its joint and attachment relationships.

The humerus participates in shoulder and elbow motion and transfers loads, but bone geometry alone does not establish whole-limb performance.

Joint-facing relationships

Records how the humeral articular regions relate to neighbouring bones.

Proximal and distal articulation

Distinguishes observed joint relationships from relationships reconstructed from an isolated humerus.

  1. Are relationships with the scapular glenoid, radius and ulna observed in articulation or inferred from anatomy? provenance
  2. Which conclusions about joint congruence or movement require neighbouring bones, cartilage or other soft tissues? boundary

Attachment and shaft mechanics

Relates attachment landmarks, shaft geometry and humeral orientation to mechanical interpretation.

Mechanical inference limits

Records measurable geometry separately from assumptions about muscle force, loading history or strength.

  1. Which attachment landmarks and shaft cross-sections are available to support a mechanical assessment? measurement
  2. What loading conditions, material properties and soft-tissue information are needed before estimating humeral strength or function? boundary
Integrity and assessment Records damage, healing, altered surfaces and limits on further examination or use.

An agent must distinguish observed humeral changes from diagnoses and select next steps appropriate to a living patient, specimen or preserved remain.

Structural and surface condition

Locates discontinuities, deformation and surface changes within humeral anatomy.

Localised condition evidence

Describes the location and appearance of changes while preserving uncertainty about their cause.

  1. Where are discontinuities, displacement, angulation, callus or surface alterations located relative to humeral landmarks? measurement
  2. What evidence distinguishes developmental variation, change during life, postmortem damage and imaging artefact? boundary

Context-specific next steps

Determines what further observation or handling is justified by the humerus's context and condition.

Assessment and handling decision

Connects unresolved anatomical or structural questions to an appropriate examination or specialist review.

  1. Which unresolved humeral feature requires another imaging view, comparative specimen or specialist assessment? action
  2. Given observed fragility, preservation state and ownership or consent constraints, which handling or sampling actions are permitted? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.

A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.

Reported evidence

Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.

Check these first

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • The term denotes an anatomical structure, not an organism; human anatomy is the default here, with broader tetrapod scope acknowledged.
  • The length interval is approximate and depends on age, body size, population and measurement protocol.
  • Terminology and ontology identifiers should be checked against their current releases; this description is recalled knowledge, not source-verified research.
  1. Which of these check these first hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Kinds and varieties

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Left humerus
  • Right humerus
  1. Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Identifiers and schemes

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Terminologia Anatomica - humerus - Standard Latin anatomical name; a terminology term rather than an identifier for an individual bone.
  • Foundational Model of Anatomy - FMA followed by a numeric identifier - Represents anatomical classes; the specific humerus identifier requires verification.
  1. Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Standards and regulation

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Terminologia Anatomica, maintained by the Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT), standardizes human anatomical terminology.
  1. Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Real-world use

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Transmits loads and provides muscle attachment sites for shoulder and elbow movement.
  • Provides anatomical landmarks for imaging, fracture classification and orthopedic surgery.
  • Supports osteological assessment of stature and skeletal development.
  • Supports comparative study of vertebrate forelimb anatomy and evolution.
  1. Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Typical measurements

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Maximum length of the adult human humerus - Approximately 25-40; a broad descriptive interval, not a diagnostic reference range - cm
  1. Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Failure modes and hazards

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Proximal humeral fractures can disrupt shoulder function and, in some patterns, compromise blood supply to the humeral head.
  • Humeral shaft fractures can injure the radial nerve.
  • Supracondylar fractures, particularly in children, can endanger the brachial artery and nearby nerves.
  • Fractures can heal with malalignment or fail to unite.
  • Osteoporosis, infection and tumors can weaken the bone.
  1. Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Regional variation

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Human humeral dimensions vary among populations and individuals; population-specific reference data matter when estimating stature.
  1. Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

  • Upper arm - The upper arm is a body region containing the humerus together with muscles, vessels, nerves and other tissues.
  • Scapula - The scapula is a shoulder-girdle bone whose glenoid cavity articulates with the humeral head.
  • Radius - The radius is a forearm bone on the thumb side in human anatomical position.
  • Ulna - The ulna is a forearm bone whose trochlear notch articulates with the humeral trochlea.
  • Femur - The femur is the proximal long bone of the hindlimb or thigh.
  1. Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of humerus this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Does vr.tr.humerus intend a human anatomical default or a comparative vertebrate scope, and which species-specific extensions are required?
  • Which anatomical terminology references should govern humeral landmarks and accepted synonyms across species?
  • Which measurement conventions should govern maximum length, shaft sampling levels and humeral torsion or version?
  • Which validated reference collections support maturity and morphological comparisons for the intended populations and species?
  • What evidence thresholds should govern identification of partial humeri and interpretation of changes as developmental, pathological or postmortem?
Draft as JSON