vertebra dissospondyla

(plural vertebrae dyssospondylae))

dyssospondylous vertebra (vertebra in Amia, Lepisosteidae and Acipenseridae where the pleurocentrum, intercentrum, basidorsal, basiventral, interdorsal and interventral all ossify but remain independent in the embryonic and juvenile stages. Some elements fuse later and form vertebrae with two centra in the caudal region and typical vertebrae anteriorly)