Definition of Term

vertebra

(English) Bony or cartilaginous elements surrounding the notochord or replacing it and often protecting the spinal cord and caudal vein. Vertebrae are composed of a centrum formed from two pleurocentra and two intercentra or parts of these elements, a neural arch formed by the interdorsal and basidorsal of each side, a neural spine fused to the neural arch, a haemal arch formed from the fusion of the interventral and basiventral, and a haemal spine fused to the haemal arch. Petromyzontidae lack centra and have a persistent notochord. Elasmobranchii have a centrum with a notochord core surrounded by a ring of cartilage (chordacentrum) to which the neural and haemal arches (arcocentra) attach and an outer ring of cartilage (autocentrum) interrupted by the arches. The cartilage becomes calcified (cyclospondylous, asterospondylous, tectospondylous) (plural vertebrae). (See also: vertebral column, centrum, vertebral counts)

vértebra

(Portuguese) Segmento ósseo da coluna vertebral; centrum. (See also: vertebral column, centrum, vertebral counts)

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