From Mantropedia

Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provides a definition of what is at the front (anterior), behind (posterior) and so on. As part of defining and describing terms, the body is described through the use of anatomical planes and anatomical axes.

The meaning of terms that are used can change depending on whether an organism is bipedal or quadrupedal. Additionally, for some animals such as invertebrates, some terms may not have any meaning at all; for example, an animal that is radially symmetrical will have no anterior surface, but can still have a description that a part is close to the middle (proximal) or further from the middle (distal).

International organisations have determined vocabularies that are often used as standard vocabularies for subdisciplines of anatomy, for example, Terminologia Anatomica for humans, and Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria for animals. These allow parties that use anatomical terms, such as anatomists, veterinarians, and medical doctors to have a standard set of terms to communicate clearly the position of a structure.

• 0D body center

• body lines

Organisms where the ends of the long axis are distinct. (Paramecium caudatum, above, and Stentor roeselii, below.) The axes of the body are lines drawn about which an organism is roughly symmetrical.[8] To do this, distinct ends of an organism are chosen, and the axis is named according to those directions. An organism that is symmetrical on both sides has three main axes that intersect at right angles.[3] An organism that is round or not symmetrical may have different axes.Example axes are:

1. The anteroposterior axis
2. The cephalocaudal axis
3. The dorsoventral axis.

• body planes
• 2d plane locations
• Anatomical planes in a human
• Main article: Anatomical plane

• Anatomical terms describe structures with relation to four main anatomical planes ( CENTRAL PLANES ) :

1. The median plane, which divides the body into left and right. This passes through the head, spinal cord, navel, and, in many animals, the tail.
2. The sagittal planes, which are parallel to the median plane.
3. The frontal plane, also called the coronal plane, which divides the body into front and back.
4. The horizontal plane, also known as the transverse plane, which is perpendicular to the other two planes. In a human, this plane is parallel to the ground; in a quadruped, this divides the animal into anterior and posterior sections.

• Body regions
• 3d region locations

• General body plan
• Particular or special body plan

• Special; with relation to the several parts of any thing, consider'd as a
  • Distance in a 2d plane or 3d region
    • distance from main axis being either
      • proximal , near
      • Distal , far
    • facing towards and nearer or away from and farther axis
      • medial
      • lateral

• anatomical relations
  • Spatial relations
    • visceral relations
    • peritoneal relations