ORIGINS AND RAMIFICATIONS OF THE FEMORAL NERVE IN WILD BOARS (Sus scrofa scrofa LINNAEUS, 1758)

We analyzed the origin and distribution of the femoral nerve in 25 fetuses of wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa). The introduction of these animals in aqueous formaldehyde 10% was by different points of subcutaneous, intramuscular and intracavitary injections, as well as by immersion of those specimens, in containers of the same solution for a minimum of 48 hours, to prepare the material for further dissection. It was observed that the origin of the nerve roots were derived from S1 to L3. Regarding the amount of lumbar vertebrae varied from five to seven, five in eight cases (32%), six in twelve specimens (48%) and seven in five animals (20%). In relation to their distribution, the femoral nerves emitted 2-5 branches to the right iliac muscle and 2-4 to the left, the right psoas major received 2-5, and its left antimer, 2-7, the right sartorius was innervated by two branches and in 1 case and the femoral quadriceps presented variation of 7-16 branches, in both antimers.