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2364. The natural skeleton of a young Long-tailed Manis (Manis longicaudata). 



There are 7 cervical vertebrae and 18 dorse-lumbar vertebrae. Eleven pairs of ribs have 

 been preserved. The neurapophyses of the trunk-vertebrae have not quite coalesced at 

 their apices. Two vertebrae articulate with the ilium. These are succeeded by 39 caudal 

 vertebrae, some of the anterior of which, being subsequently modified by anchylosis, enter into 

 the artificial group of sacral vertebrae. The exoccipitals meet above the large vertical fora- 

 men magnum. The superoccipital is rhomboidal, and its aspect is almost wholly upwards. 

 The tympanic bone forms the lower boundary of a hemispheric bulla, which communicates 

 with an equal-sized cavity in the squamosal ; a narrow strip of the petrosal intervenes between 

 the tympanic and the broad basioccipital. The small lacrymal is wedged in between the 

 frontal and maxillary at the anterior angle of the orbit, but there is no trace of a malar bone. 

 One of the slender edentulous rami of the mandible is preserved. 



Mus. Brookes. 

 Genus Myrmecophaga. 



2365. The skeleton of the Tamandua Ant-eater {Myrmecophaga Tamandua}. 



The vertebral formula is : 7 cervical, 1 7 dorsal, 2 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 37 caudal verte- 

 brae. All the cervical vertebrae have spinous processes except the atlas ; that of the deutata 

 is produced forwards, not backwards, and those of the sixth and seventh cervicals are as long 

 as the spine of the first dorsal, which exceeds in length that of any of the other vertebrae. 

 The pleurapophysial part of the transverse process of the deutata is broad, and produced 

 downwards and outwards : it increases in length and breadth in the four succeeding vertebrae, 

 in the last three of which the diapophysial element of the process stands out distinctly and 

 strongly. In the seventh cervical this element alone is developed, and the transverse process 

 is accordingly said to be imperforate. A metapophysial tubercle is developed from the outer 

 side of the prozygapophysis of the last five cervicals. The diapophyses of all the dorsals 

 present an articular surface for the tubercle of the rib. The metapophysial tubercle is con- 

 tinued from the cervical to the dorsal region, appearing there upon the upper part of the 

 diapophyses of the first dorsal ; it continues increasing in size and length to the thirteenth 

 dorsal, where it begins to shift its position, and in the remaining dorsals projects midway 

 between the diapophysis and zygapophysis. In the fourteenth dorsal the metapophysis also 

 increases suddenly in breadth, and developes an articular surface from its inner side to join 

 an accessory posterior zygapophysis, as well as an articulation upon its fore and under part 

 for the anapophysis of the preceding vertebra. In the fourteenth dorsal the anapophysis 

 suddenly acquires increased length and breadth, with a distinct articular surface upon both its 

 upper and under part, the upper one articulating with the metapophysis, the under one with 

 the parapophysis of the succeeding vertebra. Thus there are not fewer than sixteen co- 

 adapted articular surfaces, in addition to those for the head and tubercle of each rib and the 

 articulations between the ends of the centrum of one and the same vertebra. In the first 

 lumbar vertebra the diapophysis increases in thinness and decreases in length, presenting the 

 form of a depressed plate ; the other processes with thin articular surfaces are retained in 



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