How many bones are there in the adult human skeleton?

• A. 180 bones
• B. 196 bones
• C. 206 bones (80 axial skeleton, 126 appendicular skeleton)
• D. 216 bones

Answer: (C)

The number most often cited for an adult skeleton is 206 bones. This standard comes from the fact that many bones fuse as you grow from infancy into adulthood, so you start with about 270 bones at birth and end up with 206. The 206 are split into 80 in the axial skeleton (the skull, facial bones, auditory ossicles, hyoid, vertebral column, and rib cage) and 126 in the appendicular skeleton (the shoulder and pelvic girdles plus the limbs). For example, each upper limb has around 30 bones and each lower limb about 30, with the girdles totaling 6, bringing the overall count to 126 for the appendicular portion. There can be small variations in individuals, but 206 is the widely accepted standard.