High-Yield Points:
• All mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae — from mouse to giraffe to whale (true even in long-necked species).
• C1 = Atlas — ring-shaped, NO body, NO spinous process. Carries the skull.
• C2 = Axis — has a tooth-like DENS (odontoid process) pointing forward into atlas. Massive spinous process.
• C3-C5 = 'Typical' cervical vertebrae — long body, big transverse processes with foramen transversarium for vertebral artery & vein.
• C6 — has a distinct ventral plate-like 'ventral lamina' on each side.
• C7 — last cervical; no foramen transversarium; spinous process becomes prominent (boundary with thorax).

The wings of atlas + spinous process of C2 are the most palpable bony landmarks of the neck.

CERVICAL VERTEBRAE — DETAILED ANATOMY (B.V.Sc UG)

UNIVERSAL RULE: All mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae (C1-C7) — regardless of neck length. The giraffe has 7 (each ~28 cm long); the mouse has 7 (each ~2 mm). The only exceptions: manatees and 2-toed sloths (6); 3-toed sloths (8-9).

I. C1 — ATLAS (Atlas vertebra):
The first vertebra.
• Shape: Bony ring; NO body, NO spinous process.
• Two large lateral wings (alae atlantis) — palpable behind the ear, the most prominent neck landmark.
• Cranial articular foveae — two concave surfaces that grip the occipital condyles of skull → atlanto-occipital joint (nodding 'YES').
• Caudal articular foveae — articulate with axis.
• Fovea dentis — small concave facet on the ventral arch where the dens of axis pivots.
• Foramina: vertebral foramen (large, for spinal cord) + 2 lateral vertebral foramina + 1 alar foramen (transmits vertebral artery + 1st cervical nerve).
• Atlas wing site = atlanto-occipital CSF tap (cisterna magna).

II. C2 — AXIS (Axis / Epistropheus):
The longest cervical vertebra; bears the weight of the head's rotation.
• Body: Long, prominent.
• Dens (odontoid process / processus dentis) — tooth-like projection on the cranial end of the body; sits in the atlas ring as a pivot for atlas to rotate around (head 'NO' movement).
– Held in place by apical, alar, and transverse ligaments.
• Spinous process — massive, plate-like; largest spine of any cervical vertebra in ox/horse.
• Transverse foramen small.
• Articulates cranially with atlas, caudally with C3.

III. C3, C4, C5 — TYPICAL CERVICAL VERTEBRAE:
The 'standard' cervical vertebrae.
• Body: Long (longest in horse), with convex cranial end (head) + concave caudal end (fossa) — saddle-shaped articulation.
• Spinous process: Short and obtuse (becomes progressively taller from C3 → C7).
• Transverse processes: Long, plate-like, with two divergent branches (dorsal + ventral); pierced by the foramen transversarium for the vertebral artery, vein and nerve.
• Articular processes: Large and flat — facet joints.

IV. C6 — THE 'VENTRAL CREST' VERTEBRA:
• Body slightly shorter.
• Ventral lamina/plate — a large flat ventral extension on each transverse process, characteristic of C6. Major attachment for longus colli & scalene muscles.
• Transverse foramen present.

V. C7 — TRANSITION TO THORAX:
• Last cervical; called vertebra prominens in humans because of its big spinous process.
• NO foramen transversarium (vertebral artery has already left the cervical chain).
• NO ventral lamina.
• Caudal articular surface articulates with the 1st rib head → starts the thoracic skeleton.
• Spinous process tall and pointed.

VI. INTERVERTEBRAL JOINTS:
• Body-to-body: cartilaginous symphyses with intervertebral discs — cervical discs are the LARGEST in the body (~25% of vertebral length).
• Facet joints: synovial.
• Allow great flexibility (especially flexion-extension at AO joint, rotation at AA joint).

VII. PALPABLE LANDMARKS ON THE LIVE COW:
• Wings of atlas — protrude laterally behind the ear; #1 neck landmark.
• Spinous process of axis — palpable just behind the atlas.
• Transverse processes of C5-C7 — palpable in thin animals along the lower neck.