What does the axial skeleton include?

• A. The bones of the limbs.
• B. The bones of the pelvis.
• C. The bones of the head, neck, and trunk.
• D. The bones of the spine only.

Answer: (C)

The axial skeleton comprises the bones that form the body's central axis: the skull (head), the vertebral column (neck and trunk), and the rib cage. That central framework is exactly the bones of the head, neck, and trunk. The limbs and their supporting girdles are outside this central axis and belong to the appendicular skeleton, which is why the pelvis isn’t part of the axial skeleton. Limiting it to just the spine would miss the skull and rib cage, which are also part of the axial system.