The regions of the skeleton The skeleton can be divided into 7 different sections – click through this presentation using the tabs below, to see what these 7 sections are.

The Skull Made up of cranium (8 fused bones) and the facial bones (14 bones). The mandible (jaw bone) is the only truly moveable bone of the skull.

The Spine Consists of 33 vertebrae divided up into 5 distinct parts.

The Pectoral Girdle Consists of 2 shoulder blades (scapulae) and 2 collar bones (clavicles). These bones articulate with one another, allowing some degree of movement.

Upper Limb Consists of 3 parts: the upper arm (humerus); lower arm (radius and ulna); and hands (carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges).

The Thorax Consists of 12 pairs of ribs all of which attach to the spine and the sternum. The top 7 ribs are known as true ribs as they attach directly to the sternum by costal cartilage. The bottom 2 are known as floating ribs as they do not attach to the sternum.

The Pelvic Girdle Consists of 2 large, sturdy hip bones that are fused together. Each hip bone consists of 3 fused bones namely the ilium, ischium and the pubis.

The Lower Limb Consists of the upper leg (femur); lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) and feet (tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges).

The End