Metacarpal bones Metacarpal bones In human anatomy, the metacarpal bones or metacarpus, form the intermediate part of the skeletal hand located between the phalanges of the fingers and the carpal bones of the wrist which forms the connection to the forearm. The metacarpal bones are equivalent to the metatarsal bones in the foot. The metacarpals form a transverse arch to which the rigid row of distal carpal bones are fixed. The peripheral metacarpals (those of the thumb and little finger) form the sides of the cup of the palmar gutter and as they are brought together they deepen this concavity. The index
Vancleavea parts of the hand. The second metacarpal is longer, and the third and fourth are tied for the longest bones of the hand. Unguals (claws) have not been found, and the rounded ends of certain phalanges indicates that "Vancleavea" likely did not possess them. As with other reptiles, each hip of "Vancleavea" is formed by three plate-like bones: the illium (above the hip socket), the pubis (in front of the hip socket), and the ischium (behind the hip socket). The illium of "Vancleavea" is particularly unusual. Most archosauriforms have illia which are somewhat low, directed from front to back (anteroposteriorly).