The thoracic vertebrae behind the third have no hypapophyses, and the capitular facets gradually come to be placed nearer and nearer the ends of the transverse processes, at the same time becoming less prominent; otherwise these vertebrae are just like the third.
Fig. 42. Anterior view of A, a late thoracic and B, the first sacral vertebra of a young Crocodile (C. palustris). × 1/3.
| 1. neural spine. | 4. sacral rib. |
| 2. process bearing | 5. surface which is united with |
| prezygapophysis. | the ilium. |
| 3. facet for articulation with the | 6. concave anterior face of |
| capitulum of the rib. | centrum. |
In the first and second thoracic vertebrae the capitulum of the rib articulates, not with a facet on the transverse process, but with a little elevation borne at the line of junction of the centrum and neural arch.
The Lumbar vertebrae.
These are five in number, and are precisely like the posterior thoracic vertebrae, except in the fact that the transverse processes have no facets for the articulation of ribs.
The Sacral vertebrae.
These are two in number, and while the centrum of the first is concave in front (fig. 42, B, 6) and nearly flat behind, that of the second is flat in front and concave behind. Each has a pair of strong ribs (fig. 42, B, 4) firmly ankylosed in the adult with a wide surface furnished partly by the centrum, partly by the neural arch. The distal ends of these ribs are united with the ilia. The character of the neural spines and zygapophyses is the same as in the thoracic vertebrae.
The Caudal vertebrae.