The Skeleton 



55 



described as a type of this region (Fig. 18, A). Its 

 centrum is rather longer than in the first two 

 thoracic and in the cervical vertebras and has no 

 process for articulation with the head of the rib, 

 otherwise it is essentially the same. Like all of 



B 



FIG. 18. ANTERIOR VIEW OF A, A LATE THORACIC AND B, THE 



FIRST SACRAL VERTEBRA OF A YOUNG CROCODILE 



(C. palustris). X. (After Reynolds.) 



1. neural spine. 4. sacral rib. 



2. process bearing prczygapophysis. 5. surface which is united with 



3. facet for articulation with the the ilium. 



capitulum of the rib. 6. concave anterior face of centrum. 



the vertebrae behind it and unlike those in front 

 it is apparently completely fused with its neural 

 arch. The neural arch is very broad (in an antero- 

 posterior direction) and is extended dorsally as a 

 wide neural spine (i). The neural spines of the 

 following thoracic and the first two or three lumbar 

 vertebrae are increasingly broad and truncated. 

 The transverse processes are very broad, long and 

 thin, and in the third to eighth vertebras they have 



