____________________ carry sensory and motor fibers for the innervation of the muscles, joints, and skin of the lateral and ventral body walls and the extremities.

Ventral rami are responsible for carrying sensory and motor fibers that innervate the muscles, joints, and skin of the lateral and ventral body walls, as well as the extremities. These rami branch off from spinal nerves and provide the connection between the central nervous system and peripheral structures.

Unlike dorsal rami, which primarily innervate the muscles and skin of the back, ventral rami serve the front and sides of the body, including major areas such as the arms and legs. This explains their crucial role in motor control and sensation across a wide area.

The other options, while relevant to specific areas of bodily innervation, do not encompass the full range of anatomical structures and areas that ventral rami cover. For instance, phrenic nerves are specialized for diaphragm innervation, and intercostal nerves primarily serve the intercostal muscles and skin over the thoracic region.