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Lesson 01 · about 6 minutes

Reading the skeleton

How the skeleton divides into axial and appendicular parts, and how to find your way around it in the model.

Two divisions

Anatomists divide the skeleton into two parts. The axial skeleton lies along the body's central axis: the skull, the vertebral column and the thoracic cage, together with the hyoid bone in the neck. The appendicular skeleton consists of the limbs and the girdles that attach them to the axial skeleton.

In SomaVista each bone is a separate, selectable structure. Use the region filters in the structure list to see how the bones of each region fit together.

Girdles connect limbs to the trunk

The shoulder (pectoral) girdle is formed by the clavicle and scapula on each side. The clavicle is the only bony link between the upper limb and the axial skeleton, which is why the shoulder is so mobile.

The pelvic girdle is formed by the two hip bones. They attach firmly to the sacrum, trading mobility for the stability needed to carry body weight.

Left and right

Anatomical left and right always refer to the subject's own sides, not the viewer's. When the model faces you, its left side is on your right. Paired bones in SomaVista are named with their side, for example 'Left femur' and 'Right femur'.

Check your understanding

1. Which of these bones belongs to the appendicular skeleton?
2. When the model faces you, where is its left femur?

Further reading

OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e (J. Gordon Betts et al., OpenStax, 2022) is cited as further reading. Its text is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 and is not reproduced here; SomaVista's explanations are written independently.