Adductor muscle

Musculus adductor

Definition

Antoine Micheau

In ungulates, ruminants and pigs, the adductor muscle is a single muscle formed by the fusion of the three adductor muscles of the thigh:

In dogs, the the adductor longus is fused with the pectineus, and the adductor brevis and magnus are intimly adherent, that's why some authors use the term "adductor muscle" in dogs.

It is appropriate to use the singular term "adductor muscle" for this specific muscle (fusion of different adductors muscles), and to use the plural "adductor muscles" when referring to the group of thigh adductor muscles.

The pectineus and gracilis muscles belong also to the medial muscles of the tigh. Associated to the three previous adductor muscles, they form the "adductor group muscle of the thigh", but this term is more a human anatomical term.

References

Gallery