Final answer:
The vertebrae between the head and shoulders are called the cervical vertebrae, specifically the C1 atlas, which supports the skull, and the C2 axis, which allows for head rotation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vertebrae between the head and the shoulders are called the cervical vertebrae. Specifically, the first cervical (C1) vertebra is known as the atlas, and it supports the skull. The atlas is ring-shaped, consisting of an anterior and a posterior arch, and does not have a body or spinous process. Its superior articular processes are deeply curved for articulation with the occipital condyles of the skull, while the inferior articular processes articulate with the second cervical (C2) vertebra, also known as the axis. The axis is identified by the dens (odontoid process), which acts as a pivot for rotation when turning the head.
The vertebrae between the head and the shoulders is called the cervical vertebrae. The first cervical vertebra, called the atlas (C1), supports the skull on top of the vertebral column. It does not have a body or spinous process, but instead, consists of an anterior arch and a posterior arch. The second cervical vertebra, called the axis (C2), serves as the axis for rotation when turning the head. It has a distinctive bony projection called the dens, which joins with the atlas.