zygapophysis in dogs

Paired processes at the cephalic and caudal ends of the neural arch. They function as interlocking structures between adjacent vertebrae, and limit dorsoventral flexion and lateral movement of the column in the trunk region[AAO]. The articular processes or zygapophyses of a vertebra, in human anatomy contain two superior and two inferior, spring from the junctions of the pedicles and laminae. These stick out of an end of a vertebra to lock with a zygapophysis on the next vertebra, to make the backbone more stable. The superior processes project upward from a lower vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less backward. The inferior processes project downward from a higher vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less forward and outward. The articular surfaces are coated with hyaline cartilage. Every claim on this page comes from the Leumas anatomy graph and carries its source.

What the zygapophysis is

Paired processes at the cephalic and caudal ends of the neural arch. They function as interlocking structures between adjacent vertebrae, and limit dorsoventral flexion and lateral movement of the column in the trunk region[AAO]. The articular processes or zygapophyses of a vertebra, in human anatomy contain two superior and two inferior, spring from the junctions of the pedicles and laminae. These stick out of an end of a vertebra to lock with a zygapophysis on the next vertebra, to make the backbone more stable. The superior processes project upward from a lower vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less backward. The inferior processes project downward from a higher vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less forward and outward. The articular surfaces are coated with hyaline cartilage. The atlas records it as a bone at the organ scale in the dog.

Where the zygapophysis is

It sits within the skeletal system. Not positioned individually. Drawn inside the structure this dataset says contains it — the containment is asserted, the exact spot within it is not.

What the zygapophysis connects to

The atlas records 8 typed relationships for it, across 3 kinds of connection. part of anatomical entity, multicellular organism and organ, and 2 more.

Supply and innervation

This dataset asserts no arterial supply, venous drainage or innervation for the zygapophysis. Only a minority of structures carry those edges here, so an empty answer means nothing has been recorded — not that there is nothing to record.

Also called

Also recorded as articular process, articular process of vertebra, processus articularis (zygapophysis), zygapophysis, intercalarium articulating process and p. articularis vertebrae, and 1 more. Searching any of those names reaches this page.

Source

Uberon multi-species anatomy ontology (Mungall et al.), CC BY 4.0. Term UBERON:0006062, version 2026-06-19, retrieved 2026-08-24. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.

Questions

Where is the zygapophysis?

It sits within the skeletal system. Not positioned individually. Drawn inside the structure this dataset says contains it — the containment is asserted, the exact spot within it is not.

What does the zygapophysis connect to?

Part of: anatomical entity, multicellular organism, organ, skeletal element and vertebra.

Is the zygapophysis the same in other species?

This page describes the dog. The human record of the same structure sits beside it on /compare, over one shared model rather than two atlases built separately.