Supernumerary body part

Specific types of occurrence

Specific types of additional body parts include:

Related conditions and concepts

Vestigial structures are anatomical structures of organisms in a species which are considered to have lost much or all of their original function through evolution. These body parts can be classed as additional to the required functioning of the body. In human anatomy the vermiform appendix is sometimes classed as a vestigial remnant.

Prosthesis is an artificial extension that replaces a body part, and cybernetics is the study of computer technology in relation to organisms which can include replacement or additional body parts.

Body integrity identity disorder (BIID) is a psychiatric disorder in which a person thinks that they have one or more additional limbs than they should, despite having two arms and two legs. People with this condition often wish to amputate what they see as additional body parts.

A phantom limb is the sensation that a missing limb is still attached to the body.

In zoology a chimera is an animal that has two or more different populations of genetically distinct cells that originated in different zygotes; they do not have additional body parts but do have different sets of chromosomes within one body.

Popular culture

Additional body parts can be used to represent monsters, mutants and aliens. In many cases these "additional body parts" may be normal for the species but are only viewed as additional when compared to humans.

Mythology

In Hindu mythology additional limbs and heads are considered a sign of power. In Greek mythology, Artemis, the goddess of fertility, is sometimes represented having numerous breasts.