The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word EPAXIAL
E
P
A
X
I
A
L
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "above second vertebra" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case above second vertebra = epaxial.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EPAXIAL mean?
EPAXIAL noun- Such a muscle
- Located above and behind an axis (typically a midline)