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
Ilium (bone) as "Terminologia Anatomica", the expression "os ilium" is reintroduced and "os ilii" deleted. Ilium (bone) The ilium () (plural ilia) is the uppermost and largest part of the hip bone, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium. The ilium of the human is divisible into two parts, the body and the wing; the separation is indicated on the top surface by a curved line, the arcuate line, and on the external surface