Figure 4.

Craniocervical system – ventral muscles. Top: schematic diagram (based on Gyps fulvus) visualizing the muscle topology (the relevant muscle is highlighted in color). The M. rectus capitis ventralis in ventral view (A) Gyps fulvus, (B) Aegypius monachus. The muscle originates from the ventral processes of the cervical vertebrae 1−6 in G. fulvus, and of the cervical vertebrae 1−5 in A. monachus. It inserts into the basioccipital bone of the skull in both vultures. The white rectangle indicates the tendon of the lateral part of the M. rectus capitis ventralis. It inserts laterally into the basitemporal plate. Scale bar: 1 cm