Fig. 3

Examples of the different vertebral morphologies across the presacral vertebral column of felids and their respective three-dimensional landmarks. Each of the vertebrae shown here is a representative of a unique shape or possesses the maximum number of landmarks per morphology (i.e. the unique C1 and C2, an example of the cervical morphology with C6, T1 demonstrating the thoracic morphology, and L1 showing the lumbar morphology): a-c atlas (C1) in anterior, posterior and dorsal view; d-f C6 in anterior, posterior and lateral view; g-i T1 in anterior, posterior and lateral view; j-l L1 in anterior, posterior and lateral view; and m-n axis (C2) in anterior and posterior view. Vertebral images are from CT scans of Acinonyx jubatus (Cheetah, USNM 520539). Vertebra-specific landmark descriptions can be found in Additional file 1: Table S1