• In what way do you think the location of the foramen magnum relates to the movement of each species?

Question

•	In what way do you think the location of the foramen magnum relates to the movement of each species?

blues · Answer

This is an odd question.

The foreman magnum (FM) is basically the opening in the skull through which the spinal cord connects with the brain. In animals which walk upright (let's start with a completely, ah, anthropocentric view of all chordates) and have the head immediately superior to the spinal column, I'd expect the FM to be located on the inferior aspect of the skull.

In quadrupeds which have spinal columns roughly horizontal to the ground (when standing) and the head positioned forward instead of on top of the spinal column, I'd expect the FM to be positioned in the back rather than on the bottom of the skull.

anonymous · Answer

This probably sounds elementary compared to blues answer, but without the foreman magnum, the nerve impulses would not get to the rest of the body, so the leg would know get the message from the brain telling it to move. It is located at the base of the skull so that  it serves as a direct passage way for the spinal cord.