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coccyx

A coccyx, also known as the tailbone, is a small triangular structure composed of three to five fused vertebrae at the base of the human spine, visible in this image against a dark background.

The tailbone: a small triangular stack of three to five fused vertebrae at the base of the human spine. It is the residue of the tail that every mammalian embryo briefly grows in the womb before resorbing it. The coccyx anchors several pelvic muscles and ligaments but no longer projects beyond the body. Fractures and bruises of the coccyx are common after falls and notoriously slow to heal.

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