List of bones of the human skeleton

A typical adult human skeleton consists of 206 bones, not counting many small and often variable sesamoid bones and ossicles. Individuals may have more or fewer bones than this owing to anatomical variations. The most common variations include additional (i.e. supernumerary) cervical ribs or lumbar vertebrae. Sesamoid bone counts also may vary among individuals. The figure of 206 bones is commonly repeated, but must be noted to have some peculiarities in its method of counting. As noted below, the craniofacial bones are counted separately despite the synostoses, which occur naturally in the skull. Some reliable sesamoid bones (e.g., pisiform) are counted, while others (e.g., hallux sesamoids) are not. The count of bones also changes with age, as multiple ossific nuclei joined by synchondroses fuse into fewer mature bones, a process which typically reaches completion in the third decade of life.

Bones in the human skeleton by region

Head

Head: The human skull is made up of several bones that protect the brain and provide support for the face. The skull is divided into two parts: the cranium, which surrounds and protect the brain, and the face, which contains the bones of the eyes, nose, mouth and jaw. The cranium is composed of eight bones: the frontal bone, the two parietal bones, the occipital bone, the two temporal bones and the sphenoid and ethmoid bones.

Face: The face is made up of 14 bones, including the zygomatic bones, maxillae, nasal bones, lacrimal bones, palatine bones, and the mandible, which is the lower jaw. The middle ear contains three bones on each side: the malleus, incus and stapes, which help to transmit sound from the eardrum to the inner ear. The hyoid bone, located in the neck, is also considered a part of the skull. In total, the human skull contains 23 bones in the cranium and 14 bones in the face, for a total of 37 bones.

• The skull
  • The cranial bones (8)
    • The occipital bone
    • The parietal bones (2)
    • The frontal bone
    • The temporal bones (2)
    • The sphenoid bone (sometimes counted as facial)
    • The ethmoid bone (sometimes counted as facial)
  • The facial bones (15)
    • The nasal bones (2)
    • The maxillae (upper jaw) (2)
    • The lacrimal bone (2)
    • The zygomatic bone (2)
    • The palatine bone (2)
    • The inferior nasal concha (2)
    • The vomer
    • The mandible (lower jaw)
    • The hyoid bone (sometimes not counted as facial)
  • The exterior of the skull
  • The interior of the skull
• In the middle ears (6):
  • malleus (2)
  • incus (2)
  • stapes (2)

Bones

Vertebral column

Spine: The human spine, also known as the vertebral column, is made up of a series of bones called vertebrae that provide support and protection for the spinal cord. The spine is divided into four regions: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions.

The cervical region is located in the neck and contains 7 vertebrae, the thoracic region is located in the upper back and contains 12 vertebrae, the lumbar region is located in the lower back and contains 5 vertebrae, and the sacral region is located at the base of the spine and contains 5 vertebrae that are fused together.

The coccygeal region, located at the end of the spine, is made up of a varying number of vertebrae, with 1 being the most common. However, it can range from 2-4 vertebrae.

• The vertebral column (26 bones)
  • General characteristics of a vertebra
    • The cervical vertebrae (7)
    • The thoracic vertebrae (12)
    • The lumbar vertebrae (5)
    • The sacral vertebrae (5 at birth, later fused into one and counted with the hips, below.)
    • The coccygeal vertebrae (4 at birth, later fused into one and counted with the hips, below.)

Chest

The chest, or thorax, contains the sternum and 24 ribs (in 12 pairs). Some individuals may also have cervical ribs.

• • The vertebral column as a whole
• The thorax
  • The sternum (1)
  • The ribs (24, in 12 pairs), including:
    • [7] pairs directly attached to the sternum(1st-7th pairs), also known as True ribs.
    • [3] pairs (8th,9th and 10th pairs), also known as False ribs are attached anteriorly to each other and to the 7th rib by cartilages and synovial joints
    • [2]pairs of floating ribs (11th and 12th pairs), have no anterior attachment.

Arm

Limbs: The upper limb, or arm and forearm, has a total of 64 bones, with 32 in each arm. The lower limb, or thigh and leg, has a total of 60 bones. The foot has 52 bones in total, with 26 in each foot.

• • The bones of the upper extremity
    • The clavicle
    • The scapula
    • The humerus
    • The ulna
    • The radius
  • The hand (54 bones, 27 in each hand)
    • The carpus
      • scaphoid bone (2)
      • lunate bone (2)
      • triquetrum bone (2)
      • pisiform bone (2)
      • trapezium (2)
      • trapezoid bone (2)
      • capitate bone (2)
      • hamate bone (2)
    • The metacarpus (5 × 2)
    • The phalanges of the hand
      • proximal phalanges (5 × 2)
      • intermediate phalanges (4 × 2)
      • distal phalanges (5 × 2)

Leg

• • • The hip bone, comprising the fused ilium, ischium, and pubis (2)
    • The pelvis
    • The femur
    • The patella or knee cap
    • The tibia
    • The fibula
  • The foot (52 bones in total, 26 per foot)
    • The tarsus
      • calcaneus or heel bone (2)
      • talus (2)
      • navicular bone (2)
      • medial cuneiform bone (2)
      • intermediate cuneiform bone (2)
      • lateral cuneiform bone (2)
      • cuboid bone (2)
    • The metatarsus
    • The phalanges of the foot
      • proximal phalanges (5 × 2)
      • intermediate phalanges (4 x 2)
      • distal phalanges (5 x 2)
    • The sesamoid bones

Pelvis: The pelvis, or hip bone, is made up of two coxal bones that have fused from three regions: ilium, ischium, and pubis.The sacrum and coccyx attach to the hip bones to form the pelvis, but are more important to the spinal column. The pelvis is one of two bones used to determine the gender of a skeleton, by examining the size of the Greater Sciatic Notch. 

List of bones of the human skeleton Resources
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