What are the two main divisions of the human skeleton?

• A. The axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton.
• B. The cranial skeleton and the facial skeleton.
• C. The upper skeleton and the lower skeleton.
• D. The central skeleton and the peripheral skeleton.

Answer: (A)

Two broad divisions organize the human skeleton: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton forms the central axis of the body and includes the skull, vertebral column, and rib cage, while the appendicular skeleton consists of the limbs and the girdles that attach them to the trunk (shoulder and pelvic girdles). This way of grouping bones is standard in anatomy and forensic anthropology because it separates the bones involved in protecting and supporting the body's core from those specialized for movement and interaction with the environment. The other options mix subcomponents or uses nonstandard terms: the cranial and facial skeletons are parts of the skull rather than the whole skeleton; upper vs lower or central vs peripheral aren’t conventional skeletal divisions.