The under side of most bilaterally symmetrical animals.

The concept of ventral refers particularly to the side of vertebrate animals that is opposite of the , that is, downward. This is the location of an animal's .

Though particularly applied to vertebrate animals, by analogy an equivalent concept can be applied to many invertebrate animals as well. Note that in bipedal apes ventral instead refers to the front of the animal.

Contrast dorsal. See also anterior and posterior.