GOUGH'S CAVE AXIAL SKELETON 



Fig. 5 Gough's Cave 1 lumbar vertebrae in articulation. 5a, ventral; 5b, lateral; 5c, dorsal; x 0.72. Reconstructed intervertebral disks have been inserted 

 between the lumbar bodies. 



spinous process has a more moderate inferior projection than that of 

 the suprajacent vertebra (Table 2), and the spinal canal has a greater 

 transverse than dorso- ventral diameter. 



Thoracic vertebra 12 



The twelfth thoracic vertebra is largely complete. This bone lacks 

 only a portion of the left side ventral and lateral surfaces of the body, 

 and the dorsolateral tip of the transverse process. The tip of the 

 spinous process is unfused and missing, and the annular ring of the 

 inferior surface is not fully fused to the centrum. The specimen is 

 attached to the eleventh thoracic vertebra superiorly and its inferior 

 surface is obscured by reconstructive material. 



The spinous process forms a moderate (inferiorly directed) angle 

 with the plane of the body (Table 2). As with the lumbar vertebrae, 

 the transverse diameter of the body is considerably greater than the 

 dorso-ventral dimension. 



Lumbar vertebra 1 (fig. 5) 



The first lumbar vertebra is largely complete, lacking only the right 

 side mammillary process. Some erosional damage is evident on the 

 ventral surface of the body. The posterior tip of the spinous process 

 appears to be unfused and missing (this region is obscured by 

 reconstructive materials making observation of the morphology 



difficult). The bone is cracked through the right side pedicle and 

 lamina and has been reconstructed. The specimen is attached 

 inferiorly to the second lumbar vertebra. 



The body of the first lumbar vertebra exhibits marked anterior 

 wedging (a much greater dorsoventral dimension inferiorly than 

 superiorly: Table 3; Fig. 5). Erosion and damage to the anterior 

 surface precludes measurement of the inferior dorsoventral diameter, 

 and may accentuate the degree of wedging evident in the specimen. 

 The spinous process is short and projects horizontally from the body 

 (Table 3). The spinal canal transverse diameter is the largest of all the 

 lumbar vertebrae, and is considerably greater than the dorso-ventral 

 diameter. 



Lumbar vertebra 2 



This specimen is complete except for the lateral part of the right side 

 transverse process (Fig. 5). The secondary centre of ossification for 

 the tubercle of the spinous process is fused but the epiphyseal line is 

 still open along its superior margin. The epiphyseal line between the 

 secondary centre of ossification of the inferior annular ring and the 

 centrum is also evident (but is mostly closed and was undergoing 

 obliteration at the time of death). This bone is attached to the first 

 lumbar vertebra superiorly and its inferior surface is covered by 

 reconstructive material. 



