The Different Types of Vertebrae and their Characteristic Features

Body Region - Types of Vertebra - Number of Rabbit - Human - Characteristic Features of Each type of vertebra

• Neck - Cervical Vertebra - 7 - 7 - A Cervical Vertebra has a pair of openings known as vertebrarterial canals through which the blood vessels of the neck pass. The transverse processes are flattened out and are known ad cervical ribs.

• Chest - Thoracic Vertebra - 12 - 12 - A thoracic vertebra has a large centrum, a large neutral canal and a long neural spine which projects upwards and backwards. It has two facets on each side for articulating with a rib.

• Loin - Lumbar vertebra - 7 - 5 - A Lumbar vertebra has a large thick centrum and a neural spine that projects upwards and forwards. It had processes for the attachment of abdominal muscles.

• Hip - Sacral vertebra - 3-4 - 5 - The sacral vertebra are fused to form a rigid structure, the sacrum. The neural canal is narrow and the neural spine is reduced.

• Tail - Caudal Vertebra - 16 - 4 - The caudal vertebra are fused. A typical caudal vertebra is a solid mass of bone.