We explain that what is the difference between axial and appendicular skeleton in tabular form. The human body is a complicated science of nature that exists to date. It is internally framed by a skeleton and completely covered in fur.
The skeleton is not just bones; they are also teeth. The human skeleton forms the basis of the form and functionality of the human body. It contains about 270 bones at birth and drops to 206 in adulthood, as a few bones fuse together for body development.
The human body is made up of a skeleton and is divided into two main regions. They are called Axial and Appendicular Skeleton.
The human skeleton composed of Axial and Appendicular performs six important functions. They are support, movement, protection, blood cell production, mineral storage, and endocrine regulation. Both regions of the human skeleton are important by their own characteristics.
The main difference between the axial and appendicular skeleton, that is, the axial skeleton is the central axis of the body, while the appendicular skeleton is mainly made up of limbs and appendages.
Comparison table between axial and appendicular skeleton
Axial appendicular comparison parameter
| Definition | The axial skeleton of the human body forms the central axis of the skeletal system. In other words, the Axial skeleton forms the midline of the body. | The appendicular skeleton of the human body is the limbs and appendages. In other words, all bones, except axial ones, are appendicular and facilitate the links of all parts of the skeleton. |
| Principal functions | Axial skeletal bones are needed primarily for posture, balance, and stability. | The appendicular skeletal bones are required primarily for locomotion, digital manipulation leading to reproduction, and feeding. |
| Parts of the skeletal system / bones | The axial skeleton consists of the following bones, skull, facial bones, hyoid bone, rib cage, and spinal column. | The appendicular skeleton consists of arms, forearms, pectoral girdles, pelvis, legs, ankles, and feet. |
| Total number of bones | The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones in total. | The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones overall. |
| Skeleton nature in adult hood | The axial bones are fused. | The appendicular bones are not fused. |
What is the axial skeleton?
The axial skeleton is a region of the human skeletal system that forms the central axis, which is the midline of the human body. The axial skeleton is required primarily for good posture, balance, and stability of the body.
The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones in human skeleton. It is also made up of six parts in the skeletal system: skull, facial bones, middle ear ossicles, hyoid bone, rib cage, sternum, and spine.
The other way to define the axial skeleton is the bones that include the sternum, ribs, vertebrae, sacrum, and coccyx. The axial bones are nearly fused by adulthood.
While the axial bones fuse with growth, some bones of the axial skeleton are also seen to weaken. The main exception to this aspect is the skull, it remains strong throughout the life of a human being.
The axial bones in various parts of the skeleton have their part of bones for the proper functioning of the body. The human skull that includes the facial bones has 22 bones in total.
The rib cage has 12 pairs of bones with a sternum that reaches 25 bones. The spine is made up of 32 to 34 bones that will actually fuse to 24 in adulthood.
Read Also: Bony System
What is the appendicular skeleton?
The appendicular skeleton is a region of the human skeletal system that forms the limbs and appendages. The appendicular skeleton is required primarily for body movement and also for digital manipulation of feeding and reproduction.
The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones in the human skeletal system. They are present in the skeletal elements of the extremities, pectoral and pelvic girdle.
The appendicular skeleton consists of six main areas of the human skeletal system. They are shoulder girdles, arms and forearms, hands, pelvis, thighs and legs, feet, and ankles.
It should be known that; The appendicular skeletons are not fused. This can massively allow movement of the body.
Out of 126 bones, the shoulder girdle consists of 4 bones, the left, and the right. This connects the limbs with the central axis of the body.
The arms and forearms are made up of 6 bones in total, while the pelvis also has 6 bones. The thighs and legs are made up of 8 bones and one of the strongest bones in the body.
The hands, feet, and ankles take up most of the bones of the appendicular skeleton. They have a total of 106 bones in all.
The hands comprise 54 bones, while the feet and ankle have 52 bones in the human skeleton.
Main differences between the axial and appendicular skeleton
- Both regions of the human skeleton are of primary importance for the proper functioning of the body. The main difference between the axial and appendicular skeleton is that the axial skeleton forms the central axis of the body, while the appendicular skeleton forms the limbs and appendages …
- The axial skeleton is necessary for good posture, balance, and stability of the body, while the appendicular skeleton mainly helps in the movement of the body. There is also greater digital manipulation of feeding and reproduction with the help of the appendicular skeleton.
- There are a total of 80 bones in the axial skeleton, while the appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones.
- The axial bones are fused, while the appendicular bones are strong and never fused.
- The axial bones are the skull, rib cage, spine, outer ear ossicle, hyoid bone, and sternum, while the appendicular bones are the pectoral and pelvic girdle along with the forearms, hands, feet, and ankle.
Conclusion:
The human skeleton is a solid framework on which the body functions smoothly. The axial and appendicular skeleton have their own functionalities that keep the body stable and in motion.
To what extent balance is important in the body, so is movement. It is also observed that the intake of foods rich in calcium helps to strengthen the bones. It is also scientifically proven that; with age, few axial bones weaken.
But the appendicular bones are always strong. With the help of these two main regions of the human skeleton, the six main functions of the body; Support, movement, blood cell production, mineral storage, protection, and regulation of the endocrine system are intact.
Related Links:
