Nuchal ligament
Ligamentum nuchae
Definition
The nuchal ligament is the cranial extension of the supraspinous ligament: it extends from the occiput (in cattle and horses) and cervical vertebrae (carnivores) to the spinous processes of the first thoracic vertebrae. It is highly developed in artiodactyls, but may be rudimentary in birds and primates.
The nuchal ligament is divided into two parts: the nuchal funiculus and the nuchal lamina.
References
