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Which bones belong to the human axial skeleton?
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skeleton
Selected vertebrate skeletons.
The human axial skeleton consists of 80 individual bones that form the central axis of the body, serving primarily to support and protect the central nervous system and the organs of the chest.1
The bones of the axial skeleton include:
- Skull: Comprised of 8 cranial bones and 14 facial bones.1
- Auditory Ossicles: The 6 bones of the middle ear.1
- Hyoid Bone: A single bone located in the neck.1
- Vertebral Column: Consists of 24 individual vertebrae, plus the sacrum and the coccyx.1
- Rib Cage: Comprised of 24 ribs and the sternum (breastbone).1
This structure differs from the appendicular skeleton, which includes the bones of the upper and lower limbs, as well as the pectoral and pelvic girdles.12