title: Morphology of the transverse ligament of the atlas and the alar ligaments in the silver fox (Vulpes vulpes var).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent new anatomical and histological features of craniocervical junction in dogs and cats were described providing evidence of differences between the carnivore species. No information on these structures in foxes exists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two parts of the alar ligaments were found. A longer one aroused from dens of axis to the internal (medial) surface of the occipital condyles and was called apical part. A shorter part originated from the entire length of the lateral edge of the dens of axis and terminated on the internal wall of the vertebral foramen of atlas and thus was called the lateral part. The transverse ligament of the atlas was widened in the mid region, above the dens of axis, and thickened at enthesis. Periosteal fibrocartilage was detected in the transverse ligament of the atlas at the enthesis, and sesamoid fibrocartilage was present on periphery in the middle of the ligament.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The craniocervical junction in foxes differs in part from other carnivores such as dogs and cats but resembles that of mesaticephalic dogs. The sesamoid and periosteal fibrocartilage supports the transverse ligament of the atlas whereas the alar ligaments have no cartilage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kupczynska
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barszcz
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janczyk
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wasowicz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Czubaj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001368:Axis, Cervical Vertebra / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005589:Foxes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male
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