Golden Spring Lecture

The Vertebral Column

The vertebral column of man is made up of (33) bones while the rabbit has forty-five bones in my its vertebral column.
The vertebral column also known as the backbone. It begins from the back of the skull, the first bone being the atlas bone which helps for nodding the head. This vertebral column ends at the hip region giving rise and to the tail part.
Each Vertebrae is held to the other front and back by ligaments. A special covering (disc) of cartilage occurs in between them. The disc is to prevent the Vertebrae from jarring (wearing away). Because of these the vertebral column has become firm and flexible.
Types of Vertebral Column

-- Cervical vertibrae(neck region)
They are seven in man.

-- Thoracic Vertebrae (the chest region)
They are twelve in man.

-- Lumber vertebrae (waist or loin region)
They are five in number for man.

-- Sacral/sacrum (the hip region)
They are five in man.

-- Coccyx/ caudal (tail region)
They are four in man. Although the tail part does not protrude out in man, it is present skeletally.