# Body Cavities --- **Body cavities** are essentially [[anatomy & physiology|anatomical]] regions in the body that are more or less closed off from other parts of the body.. ![[body cavities.png]] ## The Dorsal & Ventral Cavities The **dorsal cavity** is the cavity in the back of the body and contains the **cranial** and **vertebral** cavities, which, while they are distinct in their features and locations, are physically a continuous structure. **Ventral cavities** are the body cavities that are in the anterior, or ventral side of the body. Ventral cavities (but not dorsal cavities) are typically lined with a specialized membrane called a [[serous membrane]] that cushions and supports the organs therein. The ventral cavities are: - the [[thoracic cavity|thoracic]] (or chest) cavity - the [[abdominopelvic cavity|abdominal]] cavity - the [[abdominopelvic cavity|pelvic]] cavity Like the cranial and vertebral cavities, the abdominal and pelvic cavities are one physically continuous structure, and sometimes considered separate or together, depending on the situation. ___