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 chest, 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 axial skeleton has 80 bones in it.
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)