The _axis_ is proportionately small, with a long opisthocœlous
centrum, depressed, and produced forwards into a stout conical
odontoid process, and marked below by a strong hypapophysial keel,
which, developed on the latter half, thickens backwards. The wide
and thin pedicles inclose a high neural canal, support the posterior
zygapophyses and a prominent and peculiar neural spine. The latter
is flattened, broad, and recurved posteriorly, thinning rapidly
forwards into a prow-shaped recurved edge. The transverse processes
arising from the latter half of the centrum are undersized and widely
perforated at base. The anterior faces are very broad, directed
outwards, and slightly rounded from above downwards; they expand as
they diverge (see Fig. 2). The post-zygapophyses are small convex
faces, projecting at the base of the neural spine.
The _remaining cervicals_, five in number, are short, all carinate,
except the seventh, and opisthocœlous; with the faces expanding
only slightly beyond the body of the centrum. A peculiar feature
is a small pit upon the convex anterior face, indicating either
a ligamentous attachment with the antecedent vertebra, or a
remnant of the notochord. This is a feature we have not noticed
elsewhere. A long and heavy transverse process supports a large and
widely-perforated inferior lamella. The pedicles are quite wide at
base, inclosing a large neural canal. The entire upper part of the
arch is unfortunately wanting.
The dorsal centra are smaller than the cervical, slightly
opisthocœlous, and carinate. They are sub-cylindrical anteriorly,
with decided costal surfaces before and behind; approaching the
lumbar region they become subtriangular. A high neural arch
supports a stout, but never very high neural spine; this projects
backwards, keeled in front, expanding and deeply grooved behind. The
zygapophyses are small and nearly vertical. There is a short and
thick transverse process.
The _lumbar_ vertebræ are long, decidedly opisthocœlous, becoming
wider and more depressed as they approach the sacrum. The first
_sacral_ vertebra presents the same characteristics as the last
lumbar, only the body of the centrum is slightly shorter. It has
a very broad pleuropophysial plate. The remaining sacral vertebræ
are broad, and very greatly depressed, rapidly decreasing in size.
The transverse processes are slender. The very low neural spines
anchylose into a long ridge. The number cannot be ascertained, owing
to the fragmentary state of the sacrum. The caudals indicate a tail
of not very great length; as the neural canal is small and persists
in only a few of the anterior vertebræ.
_Measurements of Vertebræ._ _Pal, major._
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