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I have a question regarding the following image:

enter image description here

In my book, it states that this is a dorsal view which shows the formation of the neural tube. However, isn't this a caudal view of a transverse section? A dorsal and ventral view wouldn't apply to a transverse section right?

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It looks like a dorsal view to me, like your book says.

It isn't a section at all, these are embryonic structures visible from the outside.

Maybe you are being misled by the orientation of the neuraxis differing among organisms? The head will develop at the anterior neuropore; the spine will develop down the middle. You are looking at what will be the back.

Here's another view from Gray's (downloaded from Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somite#/media/File:Gray20.png ):

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your answer. The neural folding was shown from two different perspectives. The first perspective being the original image in the post and the second one being: i0.wp.com/veteriankey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/… That image is a 'sagittal section'. In that case, isn't the original image the top (cranial) view of this section? $\endgroup$
    – Stallmp
    Sep 11, 2020 at 14:43
  • $\begingroup$ @Stallmp It doesn't make much sense to refer to a "cranial" view when there is no cranium. Certainly neither of these is a sagittal section, though. Your second image in the comment is a transverse slice; in that image, dorsal is "up". Can you provide a citation from what book this is or at least a more complete image? You've cut off all the description and explanation. $\endgroup$
    – Bryan Krause ♦
    Sep 11, 2020 at 14:55
  • $\begingroup$ So if you look at the original post in my message, this is apparently a dorsal view as mentioned. There is also an anterior neuropore, which is the cranial neuropore, and a posterior neuropore, which is the caudal neuropore. In that case, isn't the second image a 'sagittal' view of either the cranial or caudal neuropore? $\endgroup$
    – Stallmp
    Sep 11, 2020 at 15:06
  • $\begingroup$ No, the second image is not a sagittal view of anything, and it is not showing a neuropore. In (B), you see the neural folds closing in, such that in (C) it has closed and formed a neural canal. So it's from someplace in the middle of the first image. See the "somites" on each image (same thing as "primitive segments" on the one I posted)? $\endgroup$
    – Bryan Krause ♦
    Sep 11, 2020 at 15:12

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