Uniform anatomical nomenclature

[cuboideum]

Create a unified nomenclature for the anatomical model to be used in documentation both on the RDFBones ontology and on the software. This should address bones and skeletal structures that are composed of bones or parts of bones. The nomenclature should be based on the FMA.

[cuboideum]

This is a collection of terms from the FMA:

• Subdivision of skeletal system (obo:FMA_85544)
  • Skull
    Subdivion of skull (obo:FMA_54964)
  • Basicranium
  • Calvaria
  • Neurocranium
  • Viscerocranium
  • Vertebral column
    Subdivision of axial skeletal system (obo:FMA_25569) -> Subdivision of vertebral column (obo:FMA_16201)
  • Cervical vertebral column
  • Lumbar vertebral column
  • Thoracic vertebral column
  • Subdivision of coccyx
  • Skeletal System of thorax
  • Rib cage
  • Subdivision of skeletal system (obo:FMA_85544)
  • Bony pelvis
• Subdivision of skeleton (obo:FMA_23879) -> Subdivision of appendicular skeleton (obo:FMA_23880) -> Subdivision of skeleton of upper limb (obo:FMA_24162)
  • Skeleton of pectoral girdle
  • Skeleton of forearm
  • Set of carpal bones
  • Set of metacarpal bones
  • Set of phalanges
• Subdivision of skeleton (obo:FMA_23879) -> Subdivision of appendicular skeleton (obo:FMA_23880) -> Subdivision of skeleton of lower limb (obo:FMA_24140)
  • Set of tarsal bones
  • Set of metatarsal bones

[cuboideum]

From the list of FMA terms above it is obvious that the term preferred there is 'subdivision'. It is confusing that elements from the upper and lower limbs are subdivisions of the skeleton, others subdivisions of the skeletal system. 'Subdivision' seems to refer to both elements that cut across bone organs (e.g. calvaria) and such that do not (e.g. viscerocranium).

For documentation, I would suggest to adopt a unified nomenclature that is inspired by the FMA but does not mirror all its distinctions:

• skeleton
  • subdivisions of the skeleton (or 'skeletal subdivisions)
  • bone organs (or 'bones')

@kdaveed You have requested specific names for a number of ranks of skeletal subdivisions that each include the lower ranks. Such a hierarchy depends on how you structure the skeleton and to what degree of detail. I believe, you should (explicitly) define a hierarchy for the specific purpose of your documentation.

[kdaveed]

@cuboideum Here you can find my proposal for the three levels : https://github.com/RDFBones/RDFBones/wiki/Skeletal%20Inventory%20Ontological%20Background