Re: RC: Old Wive's Tales

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/30/00 1:39:31 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<< In the Deb Bennett class I took she said that ALL mamamals had 
 17 vertebrae except whales and one other that I cannot 
 remember.  Even giraffes have the same as horses except that a 
 giraffe's are longer. >>

Deb is generally right on, but I'm wondering if you might have misunderstood 
her here?  All mammals have the same number of CERVICAL (neck) vertebrae (7) 
but there is a tremendous range in length and shape (from giraffes to 
badgers).  However, there IS some variation in both thoracic and lumbar 
numbers--still within a pretty finite range.

Heidi