metatarsal bone

Five long bones lying between the tarsal bones of the hind and mid foot and the phalanges of the toes make up the metatarsus. They carry no individual names and are instead numbered from the medial side, beginning at the side of the great toe: first, second, third, fourth, and fifth metatarsal. In skeletal terms they are the pedal counterparts of the metacarpal bones of the hand, occupying the same position in the limb sequence between the proximal cluster of short bones and the digital rays. Nine subordinate structures are recorded beneath this entry in the anatomical hierarchy, and the group is classified among the long bones of the hind limb.