Arches of the foot Arches of the foot The arches of the foot, formed by the tarsal and metatarsal bones, strengthened by ligaments and tendons, allow the foot to support the weight of the body in the erect posture with the least weight. They are categorized as longitudinal and transverse arches. The longitudinal arches of the foot can be divided into medial and lateral arches. The medial arch is higher than the lateral longitudinal arch. It is made up by the calcaneus, the talus, the navicular, the three cuneiforms (medial, intermediate, and lateral), and the first, second, and third metatarsals. Its summit is at
Ostromia addition, the ungual (claw) of the first digit of the hand is smaller than the corresponding first metacarpal, while in "Archaeopteryx" the claw is larger. The Haarlem specimen's metatarsals are also estimated to be proportionally longer than those of "Archaeopteryx" specimens. In addition, the Haarlem specimen shares several features with "Anchiornis". Most notably, they both have longitudinal furrows on the top and bottom sides of their manual phalanges (finger bones). While such structures can be a result of collapsed or broken bones (as is the case in several "Archaeopteryx" specimens), the straight, smooth edges of the furrows in "Ostromia" and