Page 96 - Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, 8th Edition

The Skeletal System / 81

longitudinal sail on its dorsum. The body articulation with the tubercle of the rib of
the same number as the vertebra.
of the axis features a cranial projection
VetBooks.ir called the dens (for its resemblance to a transverse processes that project laterad.
Lumbar vertebrae have large, flat
tooth), which articulates with the atlas in a
pivot joint. The spinous processes are similar to those
The remaining cervical vertebrae are of the last few thoracic vertebrae. The
similar to one another, with small spinous articular processes are more robust than
processes and rather large transverse and those of the thoracic vertebrae, but not as
articular processes. With the exception of large as the articular processes in the cervi-
the last cervical vertebra (C7), each cervi- cal region. The body and caudal articular
cal transverse process contains a trans- processes of the last lumbar vertebra artic-
verse foramen through which passes the ulate with the sacrum.
vertebral artery. The sacral vertebrae are fused to
Thoracic vertebrae are characterized form a single wedge‐shaped bone, the
by well‐developed spinous processes and sacrum (Fig. 4‐10), which articulates
articular facets for the ribs. Costal fovea with the last lumbar vertebra cranially,
on the bodies of adjacent thoracic verte- with the first caudal vertebra caudally,
brae form depressions for articulation and with the wings of the ilia craniolater-
with the heads of the ribs. Each trans- ally. The intervertebral foramina of the
verse process also features a fovea for sacrum are represented by dorsal and

(A)
Cranial articular fovea Arch Vertebral foramen

Transverse
foramen

Wing

Body
(B)
Spinous process
Transverse Caudal articular
foramen
process
Cranial articular
fovea

Dens
Transverse process
Body
Figure 4-9. C1, the atlas (equine), viewed from the cranial aspect (A). C2, the axis (equine), lateral
view (B).