Cervical vertebra in the context of "Atlas (anatomy)"

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👉 Cervical vertebra in the context of Atlas (anatomy)

In anatomy, the atlas (C1) is the most superior (first) cervical vertebra of the spine and is located in the neck.

The bone is named for Atlas of Greek mythology, just as Atlas bore the weight of the heavens, the first cervical vertebra supports the head. However, the term atlas was first used by the ancient Romans for the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) due to its suitability for supporting burdens. In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to bear the weight of the heavens as punishment for rebelling against Zeus. Ancient depictions of Atlas show the globe of the heavens resting at the base of his neck, on C7. Sometime around 1522, anatomists decided to call the first cervical vertebra the atlas. Scholars believe that by switching the designation atlas from the seventh to the first cervical vertebra Renaissance anatomists were commenting that the point of man's burden had shifted from his shoulders to his head—that man's true burden was not a physical load, but rather, his mind.

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Cervical vertebra in the context of Inferior cervical ganglion

The inferior cervical ganglion is one of the three cervical sympathetic ganglia (i.e. of the cervical portion of the sympathetic trunk). It is situated between the base of the transverse process of the last cervical vertebra and the neck of the first rib, on the medial side of the costocervical artery.

It is often united with the first (and sometimes the second) thoracic ganglion to form the cervicothoracic ganglion (stellate ganglion).

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Cervical vertebra in the context of Arambourgiania

Arambourgiania (meaning "Camille Arambourg's") is a genus of pterosaur, an extinct group of flying reptiles, that inhabited Jordan during the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period, around 72 to 66 million years ago. Additional fossil remains from the United States and Morocco have also been found, but their assignment to Arambourgiania is only tentative. The holotype (name-bearing) specimen was discovered in 1943 by a railway worker near Russeifa, Jordan. After examination of the specimen by paleontologist Camille Arambourg, he described it as belonging to a new genus and species in 1959, Titanopteryx philadelphiae. The generic name means "titan wing", as the fossil was initially misidentified as a wing metacarpal (it would be later identified as a cervical (neck) vertebra), while the specific name refers to the ancient name of Amman (the capital of Jordan), Philadelphia. The genus name "Titanopteryx" would later be problematic, as it had already been taken by a fly. Because of this, paleontologist Lev Nessov in 1989 renamed the genus to Arambourgiania, in honor of Arambourg. Since 1943, additional isolated remains including vertebrae, wing bones, and hindlimb bones have been assigned to the genus.

Due to the fragmentary nature of the Arambourgiania fossils, there is little direct information about its anatomy. Its cervical vertebrae are extremely elongated, with the holotype vertebra measuring 77–78 cm (2 ft 6.31 in – 2 ft 6.71 in) in length. Based on the complete neck of its relative Quetzalcoatlus, Arambourgiania had a total neck length of 3 m (9 ft 10 in), longer than those of giraffes. Its vertebrae were also more lightly built and weakly muscled than those of its robust, short-necked relative Hatzegopteryx. Arambourgiania is one of the largest flying animals ever discovered. Initial wingspan estimates ranged from 11 to 13 m (36 to 43 ft), which would have made it the largest known pterosaur. However, given the fragmentary remains, more recent research has suggested wingspans anywhere between 8 to 10 m (26 to 33 ft), which would still place the genus among the largest known flying animals.

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