 | Term | Definition |
| |
vertebral column |
Is segmented, more or less flexible; an axial rod flanked by axial musculature |
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vertebral column |
Its function is to provide a protective tunnel for the spinal cord, and is an essential architectural component of the axial locomotor apparatus in most vertebrates |
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vertebrae |
Consists of a centrum/body, 1 or 2 arches, and various processes/apophyses |
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centrum |
Part of the vertebrae that occupies the position earlier taken by the notochord |
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amphicelous |
Type of centrum that is concave at both ends |
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amphicelous |
most fishes, Necturus and caecilians have this kind of centrum |
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opisthocelous |
Type of centrum with a concave back and convex front |
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opisthocelous |
Most salamanders have this kind of centrum |
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procelous |
Centrum type that is concave in front, and convex at back |
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procelous |
Anurans and modern reptiles have this kind of centrum |
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acelous |
Centrum type that is flat-ended |
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acelous |
Mammals have this kind of centrum |
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neural arch |
Vertebral arch that is perched on top of the centrum and successively creates a vertebral or neural canal occupied by the spinal cord, with the help of interconnecting ligaments |
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neural canal |
Successive neural arches and interconnecting ligaments create this |
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spinal cord |
The vertebral or neural canal is occupied by _____. |
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hemal arch |
Houses the caudal artery and vein |
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chevron bones |
Term for the hemal arches in amniotes |
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diapophyses |
Apophyses that articulate ribs, separate epaxial from hypaxial muscles, and serve as attachment for muscles that extend or flex the vertebral column |
| |
zygapophyses |
Chiefly in tetrapods, these apophyses articulate with one another, which limits the dorsoventral flexion of the column in the region of the trunk where they are present |
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parapophyses |
lateral projections from the centra of a few tetrapods that serve as articulation for the capitulum, but is not its usual site of articulation |
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hypapophyses |
Prominent midventral projections from snake and other amniote centra. This serves as attachment for certain muscles and tendon |
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hypocentrum |
Segment of a rachitimous verterbral column that is large, wedge-shaped, and cradled the notochord |
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pleurocentra |
Part of a rachitimous vertebral column that is made of paired, smaller intersegmental pieces overlying the notochord dorsolaterally |
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rachitimous |
Vertebra that consists of several pieces |
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cervical |
Region of the tetrapod vertebrae that is characterized by a somewhat more mobile joint between the skull and first vertebrae, the shortening or elimination of ribs, and more mobile intervertebral joints (1st word only) |
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thoracic |
Region of the tetrapod vertebrae where a bony cage for the thoracic viscera and for external respiration is preserved. Also called the vertebrae with ribs (1st word only) |
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lumbar |
Vertebrae without ribs; posterior to thoracic, anterior to caudal |
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caudal |
The most posterior vertebrae (1st word only) |
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sacral |
Modified for the development of tetrapod limbs. The pelvic girdle transmits the reacting push of the earth (reaction to the push of our limbs) to this area (1st word only) |
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heterocelous |
Saddle-shaped centrum of birds |
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amphibians |
These animals have only one cervical vertebra, little head movement, lacks processes, and its cranial end bears 2 smooth concave facets that articulate with 2 occipital condyles |
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reptiles |
An increase in the number of cervical vertebrae in these animals increased the flexibility of their head |
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turtles |
Ball and socket joints are present in these specific animals, making them capable of completely retracting their necks |
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birds |
Variable number of cervical vertebrae; whose heterocelous centrum, atlas-axis complex and great number of cervical vertebrae give their necks exceptional flexibility |
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mammals |
The length of the neck of these animals is determined by the length of their centra, and not its number |
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atlas |
The first cervical vertebra |
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axis |
2nd cervical vertebra |
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atlas |
Provides the cradle in which skull can rock (as when nodding yes) |
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axis |
Axis of rotation of the atlas and skull |
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odontoid process |
Centrum of the atlas found in the axis |
| |
superior nuchal facets |
Articulations for occipital condyles found in the cephalic end of the atlas |
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amphibians, living reptiles and most birds, most mammals |
1 sacral vertebra only, 2 sacral vertebrae, 3-5 sacral vertebrae |
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sacral vertebrae |
Have short, stout transverse processes that brace the pelvic girdle and hind limbs against the vertebral column |
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sacrum |
singly bony complex consisting of fused sacral vertebrae, usually found in mammals |
| |
synsacrum |
The fusion of the last thoracic vertebrae, all lumbars, all sacrals, and the first few caudals give the ______. |
| |
synsacrum |
Found in birds and armadillos, this is fused with the pelvic girdle to provide rigid support for bipedal locomotion |
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urostyle |
Section of unsegmented vertebral column probably derived from separate caudals of early anurans |
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autotomy |
Condition when a reptile/lizard tail breaks off then regenerates because of a zone of soft tissue that divides each tail vertebra into cephalic and caudal sections |
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pygostyle |
The last 4-5 caudal vertebrae of birds fuse to form a ______. |
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coccygeal |
The last 3-5 caudal vertebrae of humans and apes fuse to form the _______. This lacks arches and most have rudimentary transverse processes. |
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dorsal rib |
A pair of ribs present in a few teleosts that pass into the horizontal skeletogenous septum that separates the epaxial and hypaxial musc |
| |
ventral rib |
A pair of ribs present in a few teleosts that, commencing from the vent, approach one another beneath the centrum and fuse to form the haemal arches of the tail |
| |
most teleosts, sharks, skates and chimaeras |
ventral ribs only, dorsal ribs only, no ribs |
| |
tetrapods |
Their ribs are usually articulated with vertebrae in movable joints |
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true rib |
Type of rib that meets ventrally with the sternum |
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vertebral rib |
Type of true rib located dorsally, found at the proximal segment, and articulated with the vertebrae |
| |
costal rib |
another term for vertebral rib |
| |
sternal rib |
Type of true rib located ventrally, found at the distal segment, usually cartilaginous, and articulated with the sternum |
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costal cartilage |
Sternal rib that remain cartilaginous |
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false ribs |
Ribs that articulate with each other but not with the sternum |
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floating ribs |
Ribs that do not articulate with anything centrally |
| |
bicipital ribs |
Ribs with two heads |
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tuberculum |
Dorsal head of a bicipital rib, articulating with diapophyses |
| |
capitulum |
Ventral head of a bicipital rib, articulating with parapophyses |
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urodeles, anurans, apodans |
amphibians with short ribs; amphibians with short ribs, akylosed tranverse processes, and not bicipital ribs; amphibians with very long ribs (separate answers with a comma) |
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lizards and crocodilians |
Reptiles with long ribs on many trunk vertebrae, and short ribs on most of the neck |
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Draco |
With elongated posterior ribs that can be rotated to elevate a patagium which becomes a winglike membrane for gliding |
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turtles |
No cervical ribs; trunk ribs fused with the costal plates of the carapace; scaral ribs ankylosed to ilia to brace the girdle against the vertebral column |
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snakes |
With long, curved ribs from the second vertebra to the tail region |
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birds |
First two pairs of ribs articulate with the last two cervical vertebrae. These are movable and lack a sternal segment. But the thoracic ribs have sternal segments, and possess uncinate processes for additional support. More caudal ribs are ankylosed to the underside of the synsacrum |
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mammals |
RIbs are confined to the thorax. When the number of ribs is larger than 10, the rest are floating ribs |
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gastralia |
Rib-like structures in the abdominal region of some reptiles that do not articulate with vertebrae, and serve as an accessory skeletal system for muscle attachment and support for the abdomen |
| |
abdominal ribs |
Another term for gastralia |
| |
sternum |
Midventral structure that secures the ventral tips of true ribs to complete the ossified or chondrified rib cage. It is strictly a tetrapod structure and primarily for amniotes. |
| |
anurans |
Only amphibians with a sternum |
| |
fishes |
These animals do not have a sternum, ever |
| |
amniotes |
Their sternum is a plate of cartilage and replacement bone. Their sternum also articulates with the pectoral girdle anteriorly and with a variable number of ribs |
| |
turtles |
Repitles with no sternum |
| |
birds |
An enormous keel/carina is present, to which powerful flight muscles attach |
| |
sternebrae |
The mammalian sternum consists of a chain of ossified elements in a series. This series is called _____. |
| |
manubrium |
First sternebrae |
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xiphisternum |
Last sternebrae that bears a cartilaginous or bony xiphoid cartilage |
| |
xiphoid process |
Born on the end of the xiphisternum; can be cartilaginous or bony |
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marine mammals |
Mammals with a short sternum, only a small numbers of ribs reaching the sternum, and individual sternebrae are fused |
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