Figure 1. 1.1. Reconstructed distribution of pneumatic diverticula along the neck. Note that this reconstruction does not represent a model for respiratory mechanisms in sauropods: neither the direction of air flow, nor the connection of the cranial pulmonary air sac to the trachea or the presence of further pulmonary air sacs are known. 1.2. 8^th cervical vertebra (SMA L25-3) of Diplodocus sp. with osteological correlates assigned to pneumaticity, left as photograph and right as schematic drawing. 1.3. Model of the tetrapod neck as a segmented cantilever fixed at the shoulder girdle. Loading by gravity G places the dorsal part of the cantilever under tension and the lower part under compression. The segmented cantilever needs to be braced to prevent its sagging, which can be achieved by dorsal tensile (tendons, muscles) and/or ventral compressive elements (cervical ribs).