tarsometatarsus
/ˌtɑrsoʊˌmɛtəˈtɑrsəs/
noun
- The long bone in the lower leg of birds and some dinosaurs, formed by the fusion of tarsal and metatarsal bones.
- Birds use their strong tarsometatarsus for walking, perching, and running.
- Paleontologists studied the tarsometatarsus of the fossil to determine how the dinosaur moved.
- The tarsometatarsus of a chicken is often called the drumstick bone.