 Cervical (neck) vertebrae are notably tall and their sides are excavated by large ventral depressions, which generates a keel on their lower edge.Many laminae (bony buttresses) are developed on the centrum (main spool-shaped portion of the vertebra).Most of these connect the diapophysis (upper rib facet) to the parapophysis (lower rib facet), zygapophyses (articular processes), and the main body of the centrum.