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An anticlinal vertebra is a dorsal vertebra in many animals that has an upright spine. The spines of the vertebrae next to it are inclined toward this upright spine.1

Vertebrae develop from mesodermal somites in an embryo. These somites differentiate into various tissues, including sclerotome, which forms the vertebrae. The process involves mesenchymal condensation, chondrification (cartilage formation), and finally ossification (bone formation).2

In mammals, the spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae generally point towards the tail, while lumbar vertebrae's spines point towards the head. However, one or two thoracic vertebrae may have upright spines, known as anticlinal spines.3

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