that portion of the arachnoid which lies within the vertebral canal and surrounds the spinal cord and the vertebral portion of the subarachnoid space. It extends from the foramen magnum above to the S-2 vertebral level. Since the spinal cord ends at the L-2 vertebral level, a wide separation occurs between the arachnoid and pia mater, the lumbar cistern, filled with cerebrospinal fluid in which the cauda equina is suspended. Syn: arachnoidea mater spinalis [NA], spinal part of arachnoid.