Sacrum The number of sacral vertebrae varies slightly. For instance, the S1S5 vertebrae of a horse will fuse, the S1S3 of a dog will fuse, and four pelvic vertebrae of a rat will fuse between the lumbar and the caudal vertebrae of its tail. The "Stegosaurus" dinosaur had a greatly enlarged neural canal in the sacrum, characterized as a "posterior brain case”. The sacrum is a complex structure providing support for the spine and accommodation for the spinal nerves. It also articulates with the hip bones. The sacrum has a base, an apex, and three surfaces – a pelvic, dorsal and
Body of sphenoid bone the crest is an irregular opening leading into the corresponding sphenoidal air sinus. These sinuses are two large, irregular cavities hollowed out of the interior of the body of the bone, and separated from one another by a bony septum, which is commonly bent to one or the other side. They vary considerably in form and size, are seldom symmetrical, and are often partially subdivided by irregular bony laminae. Occasionally, they extend into the basilar part of the occipital bone nearly as far as the foramen magnum. They begin to be developed before birth, and are of a considerable size