Question

directional terms review worksheet
part 1: read each statement and decide which directional term would be most appropriate in that situation.

1. the _______________ (ventral/dorsal) fin of a shark is on its back.
2. the ears of a dog are located _______________ (medially/laterally) compared to the nose.
3. a horse’s hoof is _______________ (proximal/distal) compared to the knee.
4. the eyes of a frog are _______________ (caudal/cranial) compared to the hindlegs.
5. the belly button of a human is located _______________ (medially/laterally) in the belly region.
6. the whiskers of a cat are _______________ (palmar/rostral).
7. a dog’s hindlegs are _______________ (caudal/cranial) compared to the front legs.
8. the end of a cat’s thigh bone at the hip is _______________ (proximal/distal) compared to the end at the knee.
9. the nipples of a mammal are _______________ (ventral/dorsal).
10. the pads of a dog’s paw are _______________ (dorsal/palmar).

part 2: indicate if each of the following sentences is correct or incorrect use of each directional term (in bold). if the sentence is correct write “correct.” if the sentence is incorrect, write the proper term that will make it correct in the space provided.

1. the end of a dog’s front leg at the shoulder is proximal compared to the end at the paw.
2. the eyes of a dog are caudal compared to the tail.
3. the nose of a rabbit is located laterally on its face.
4. the fingers and toes in primates are distal compared to their respective limbs.
5. the heart is located medially in the chest cavity of most animals.
6. the spine of a snake runs along the ventral side of its body.
7. the eyes of most animals are located laterally on their heads, allowing for a wide field of vision.
8. the tail of a cat is located caudally, opposite of the head.
9. the part of a cheetah’s paw that touches the ground when it runs is on the dorsal surface.
10. the umbilical cord of a newborn goat is on the dorsal side of its body.
11. the beak of a bird is located caudally on its head.
12. the quills of a porcupine are located on its dorsal surface.

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Answer:

Part 1:

1. Explanation: Dorsal means back - side. Shark's back fin is dorsal.

• Step 1: Recall dorsal (back) vs ventral (belly).
• Step 2: Shark's fin on back → dorsal.
• Answer: dorsal

1. Explanation: Laterally means away from midline. Ears are lateral to nose.

• Step 1: Medially (toward midline), laterally (away).
• Step 2: Ears vs nose position → laterally.
• Answer: laterally

1. Explanation: Distal means farther from point of attachment. Hoof is distal to knee (knee is closer to body than hoof).

• Step 1: Proximal (closer), distal (farther).
• Step 2: Hoof vs knee (knee is proximal to body, hoof is distal) → distal.
• Answer: distal

1. Explanation: Cranial means toward head (anterior). Frog's eyes are cranial to hindlegs.

• Step 1: Caudal (toward tail), cranial (toward head).
• Step 2: Eyes (head - end) vs hindlegs (tail - end) → cranial.
• Answer: cranial

1. Explanation: Medially means toward midline. Belly button is medial in belly region.

• Step 1: Medially (midline), laterally (side).
• Step 2: Belly button position → medial.
• Answer: medially

1. Explanation: Rostral means toward the nose (anterior in head). Cat's whiskers are rostral.

• Step 1: Palmar (palm - like), rostral (nose - ward).
• Step 2: Whiskers near nose → rostral.
• Answer: rostral

1. Explanation: Caudal means toward tail (posterior). Hindlegs are caudal to front legs.

• Step 1: Caudal (tail - ward), cranial (head - ward).
• Step 2: Hindlegs (tail - end) vs front legs (head - end) → caudal.
• Answer: caudal

1. Explanation: Proximal means closer to point of attachment. Hip end of thigh bone is proximal to knee end.

• Step 1: Proximal (closer), distal (farther).
• Step 2: Hip (closer to body) vs knee (farther) → proximal.
• Answer: proximal

1. Explanation: Ventral means belly - side. Mammal's nipples are on ventral side.

• Step 1: Ventral (belly), dorsal (back).
• Step 2: Nipples on belly → ventral.
• Answer: ventral

1. Explanation: Palmar means palm - like (ventral of paw). Dog's paw pads are palmar.

• Step 1: Dorsal (back of paw), palmar (palm - side of paw).
• Step 2: Pads touch ground (palm - side) → palmar.
• Answer: palmar

Part 2:

1. Explanation: Proximal (closer to body) - shoulder end is closer to body than paw end. So correct.

• Step 1: Proximal definition (closer to attachment).
• Step 2: Shoulder (closer to body) vs paw (farther) → correct.
• Answer: correct

1. Explanation: Eyes are cranial (toward head) to tail. Caudal is toward tail, so incorrect. Replace with cranial.

• Step 1: Caudal (tail - ward), cranial (head - ward).
• Step 2: Eyes (head) vs tail → cranial.
• Answer: cranial

1. Explanation: Nose is rostral (or medial? No, nose is at midline front) - laterally is wrong. Nose is medially (at midline) or rostrally. But more accurately, nose is rostral (toward front) or medially. But the error: lateral is wrong, correct term is rostral (or medial, but rostral is better for front - back in head). Wait, on face, nose is at midline (medial) and rostral (front). But the sentence says "laterally" - which is wrong. Correct term: rostral (or medial, but rostral for front). So correct term: rostral (or medial, but rostral is more about front - back in head).

• Step 1: Lateral (side), rostral (front of head).
• Step 2: Nose is front (rostral) of face → rostral.
• Answer: rostral

1. Explanation: Distal (farther from body) - fingers/toes are distal to limbs. Correct.

• Step 1: Distal definition (farther from attachment).
• Step 2: Fingers/toes are farther from body than limbs → correct.
• Answer: correct

1. Explanation: Medially (toward midline) - heart is at midline of chest. Correct.

• Step 1: Medial definition (midline).
• Step 2: Heart in mid - chest → correct.
• Answer: correct

1. Explanation: Spine is dorsal (back) of snake. Ventral is belly, so incorrect. Replace with dorsal.

• Step 1: Ventral (belly), dorsal (back).
• Step 2: Spine on back → dorsal.
• Answer: dorsal

1. Explanation: Laterally (on sides) - eyes on sides give wide vision. Correct.

• Step 1: Lateral definition (side).
• Step 2: Eyes on sides → correct.
• Answer: correct

1. Explanation: Caudally (toward tail) - tail is opposite head (tail end). Correct.

• Step 1: Caudal definition (tail - ward).
• Step 2: Tail is tail - ward (caudal) from head → correct.
• Answer: correct

1. Explanation: Palmar (or plantar) - the part touching ground is palmar (ventral of paw). Dorsal is back, so incorrect. Replace with palmar.

• Step 1: Dorsal (back), palmar (palm - side).
• Step 2: Paw part touching ground is palm - side → palmar.
• Answer: palmar

1. Explanation: Umbilical cord is ventral (belly) of goat. Dorsal is back, so incorrect. Replace with ventral.

• Step 1: Dorsal (back), ventral (belly).
• Step 2: Umbilical cord on belly → ventral.
• Answer: ventral

1. Explanation: Beak is rostral (front) of bird's head. Caudal is tail - ward, so incorrect. Replace with rostral.

• Step 1: Caudal (tail - ward), rostral (front).
• Step 2: Beak is front of head → rostral.
• Answer: rostral

1. Explanation: Quills are on dorsal (back) of porcupine. Correct.

• Step 1: Dorsal (back) definition.
• Step 2: Quills on back → correct.
• Answer: correct