Which Vertebra Is the Axis?

The Axis (C2 vertebra) also known as epistropheus forms the pivot upon which the first cervical vertebra (the Atlas), which carries the head, rotates. The axis is composed of a vertebral body, heavy pedicles, laminae, and transverse processes, which serve as attachment points for muscles.

Where are the axis vertebra?

In anatomy, the axis (from Latin axis, "axle") or epistropheus, is the second cervical vertebra (C2) of the spine, immediately posterior to the atlas, upon which the head rests. The axis' defining feature is its strong odontoid process (bony protrusion) known as the dens, which rises dorsally from the rest of the bone.

Which vertebrae are the atlas and axis?

The atlas is the first cervical (neck) vertebra which is just under the head; it is named for Atlas, the Greek god who supported the world on his shoulders. The axis is the second cervical vertebra; it has what is called the odontoid process about which the atlas rotates.