axial skeleton

diagram of the axial skeleton

The axial skeleton consists of the 80 bones in the head and trunk of the human body. It is composed of five parts; the human skull, the ossicles of the inner ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the rib cage, and the vertebral column. The axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton together form the complete skeleton.

Overview

Flat bones house the brain, spinal cord, and other vital organs. This article mainly deals with the axial skeletons of humans; however, it is important to understand the evolutionary lineage of the axial skeleton. The human axial skeleton consists of 87 different bones. It is the central core of the body and where the appendicular skeleton attaches. As the skeleton grows older the bones get weaker with the exception of the skull. The skull remains strong so as to protect the brain from injury.

Skull

Skull (22)

• Cranial Bones (8)
  • Parietal (2)
  • Temporal (2)
  • Frontal (1)
  • Occipital (1)
  • Ethmoid (1)
  • Sphenoid (1)

• Facial Bones (14)
  • Maxilla (2)
  • Zygomatic (2)
  • Mandible (1)
  • Nasal (2)
  • Palatine (2)
  • Inferior nasal concha (2)
  • Lacrimal (2)
  • Vomer (1)

Auditory Ossicles

Ossicles (6 )

• Malleus (2)
• Incus (2)
• Stapes (2)

Hyoid bone

Hyoid bone (1) U-shape bone located in the neck. It anchors the tongue and is associated with swallowing.

Vertebral column

Vertebral Column (33)

• Cervical vertebrae (7)
• Thoracic vertebrae (12)
• Lumbar vertebrae (5)
• Sacrum (5) (fused)
• Coccyx (4) (fused, varies between 3-5)

Chest

Thoracic cage (25)

• Sternum (1)
• Ribs (24)

External links

• botany.uwc.ac.za