Axial and Appendicular Skeleton Overview

The axial skeleton forms the central, vertical axis of the body.

Skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage.

Protects vital organs like the brain, spinal cord, and heart.

Provides structural support and stability for the body.

The appendicular skeleton includes the limbs and their girdles.

Girdles (pectoral and pelvic), upper and lower limbs.

Enables movement and a wide range of activities.

Consists of cranial and facial bones.

The skeletal structure connecting the upper limbs to the axial skeleton, comprised of the clavicle and scapula.

Bones of the arm, including the humerus, radius, and ulna.

The skeletal structure connecting the lower limbs to the axial skeleton, formed by fused ilium, ischium, and pubis.

Bones of the leg and foot, including the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges.

Cranial bone forming the forehead and part of the eye sockets, containing the frontal sinus.

Cranial bone located on the sides of the skull, crucial for hearing and enclosing the temporal lobe.

Cranial bone forming the back of the skull, with the foramen magnum (spinal cord passage).

Cranial bones forming the top and sides of the skull, protecting the brain and connecting to other skull bones.

A saddle-shaped depression in the sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland.

Projections of the sphenoid bone that contribute to the shape of the skull and protect the brain.

Located between the eyes and forms part of the nasal cavity.

A sieve-like structure in the ethmoid bone that allows olfactory nerves to pass through.

A vertical plate of the ethmoid bone that forms part of the nasal septum.

Air-filled cavities within the ethmoid bone that lighten the skull and contribute to voice resonance.

Air-filled spaces within the maxillae that help lighten the skull and contribute to voice resonance.

Ridge-like structures in the maxilla that hold the upper teeth.

The female pelvic outlet is wider due to a greater distance between the ischial tuberosities, facilitating childbirth.

The male pelvic outlet is narrower, limiting passage during childbirth due to a closer distance between the ischial tuberosities.

Female acetabula are positioned relatively far apart and more anteriorly, contributing to a wider stance for walking.

Male acetabula are closer together and oriented laterally, reflecting a more upright posture and gait.

The female pelvic pubic arch has a wider angle, typically ranging from 90 to 100 degrees.

The male pelvic pubic arch has a narrower angle, typically ranging from 60 to 70 degrees.

The female sacrum is shorter, wider, and more curved to accommodate the pelvic inlet and outlet dimensions for childbirth.

The male sacrum is longer, narrower, and more straight, contributing to a more vertical pelvis.

A small, triangular bone made up of four fused vertebrae at the end of the vertebral column.

The breastbone, forming the front of the chest, divided into three parts: manubrium, body, and xiphoid process.

Twelve pairs of bones forming the rib cage, protecting the heart and lungs.

The first seven pairs of ribs, directly connected to the sternum.

Ribs 8-10, indirectly connected to the sternum by cartilage.

The last two pairs of ribs (11-12), not connected to the sternum.

The collarbone, connecting the shoulder blade to the sternum.

The shoulder blade, a triangular bone that rests on the back.

The bone of the upper arm, connecting to the shoulder and elbow.

The lateral bone of the forearm, on the thumb side.

The medial bone of the forearm, on the pinky side.

Eight bones in the wrist, forming the base of your hand.

Five bones forming the palm of your hand.

Two scroll-like bones located on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity. They increase the surface area for air filtration and humidification.

A plow-shaped bone that forms the inferior part of the nasal septum, dividing the nasal cavity.

A unique U-shaped bone in the neck, situated below the mandible and above the larynx. It does not articulate with any other bone.

A bony cavity containing the eyeball and associated structures, formed by seven bones.

An air-filled space above the roof of the mouth, formed by several bones. It features the nasal septum.

Hollow cavities in the facial bones, lined with mucous membrane, and connected to the nasal cavity.

Bones forming the skull, specifically: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, sphenoid, and ethmoid.

Bones making up the face, including: nasal, maxilla, zygomatic, mandible, palatine, lacrimal, and inferior nasal conchae.