Furcula (Wishbone)

3D Model

The furcula, commonly known as the wishbone, is a distinctive fork-shaped bone present in most bird species and some non-avian dinosaurs. Positioned between the shoulder blades, it plays a crucial role in flying. Its V-shaped structure results from the midline fusion of the bird’s clavicles (collar bone), a unique element in theropods. The furcula is important for understanding the link between birds and other theropods, offering insights into shared anatomical features between birds and their ancient relatives. In non-avian dinosaurs, the presence of a furcula suggests a potential connection to avian evolution. The species of this furcula is unidentified.

It was scanned with an Artec Spider by undergraduate students from the Maastricht Science Programme at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University.

Nesbitt, S. J., Turner, A. H., Spaulding, M., Conrad, J. L., & Norell, M. A. (2009). The theropod furcula. Journal of Morphology, 270(7), 856-879.