Human Skeletal System and Associated Structures
*Note – for all paired bones, be sure to know left versus right
I. Skull
A. Identify the bones of the skull:
Frontal (1)
Parietal (2)
Occipital (1)
Temporal (2)
Zygomatic (2)
Maxilla (1)
Nasal (2)
Ethmoid (1)
Sphenoid (1)
Vomer (1)
Palatine (2)
Lacrimal (2)
Mandible (1) (technically not a bone of the skull)
B. Skull Structures: On each of the skull bones, identify the appropriate structures:
1) Frontal bone
Glabella
Frontal eminence
Supraorbital notch (foramen)
Supraorbital margin
Superciliary arch
Orbital surface
Zygomatic process
Frontal crest
2) Parietal bone
Superior and inferior temporal lines
Mastoid angle
3) Occipital bone
External occipital protuberance
Internal occipital protuberance
Superior and inferior nuchal lines
External occipital crest
Internal occipital crest
Occipital condyles
Pharyngeal tubercle
Condylar canal
Foramen magnum
Hypoglossal canal
Jugular foramen (where occipital and temporal bones meet)
4) Zygomatic bone
Temporal process (contributes to zygomatic arch)
Zygomaticofacial foramen
Orbital surface
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5) Temporal bone
Mastoid process
Squamous portion/part
Zygomatic process (contributes to zygomatic arch)
Articular tubercle
Mandibular fossa
External acoustic meatus
Internal acoustic meatus
Styloid process
Stylomastoid foramen
Carotid canal
Petrous portion/part
Mastoid notch/digastric groove
Mastoid foramen
6) Sphenoid bone
Greater wing
Lesser wing
Optic canal/foramen
Orbital surface (of lesser and greater wings)
Superior orbital fissure
Inferior orbital fissure (where sphenoid and maxilla meet)
Lateral pterygoid plate
Medial pterygoid plate
Pterygoid hamulus
Jugum
Anterior clinoid process
Prechiasmatic groove
Sella turcica
Hypophyseal fossa (part of sella turcica)
Tuberculum sellae (part of sella turcica)
Dorsum sellae (part of sella turcica)
Posterior clinoid process (part of sella turcica)
Carotid groove
Foramen rotundum
Foramen ovale
Foramen spinosum
Foramen lacerum (where sphenoid and temporal bones meet)
7) Ethmoid bone
Orbital plate
Perpindicular plate
Cribriform plate
Crista galli
Olfactory foramina
Superior and middle nasal conchae
8) Lacrimal bone
Fossa for lacrimal sac
Nasolacrimal canal
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9) Maxilla
Zygomatic process
Orbital surface
Frontal process
Infraorbital foramen
Anterior nasal spine
Alveolar process
Nasal surface
Palatine process
Incisive foramen/fossa
10) Palatine bone
Orbital process
Perpendicular plate (view on disarticulated skull)
Horizontal plate/process
Greater palatine foramen
Posterior nasal spine
11) Mandible
Body
Angle
Ramus
Base
Coronoid process
Condylar process
Head (part of condylar process)
Neck (part of condylar process)
Mental foramen
Alveolar border/part
Interalveolar septa
Mandibular foramen
Lingula
Mandibular notch
Mylohyoid groove
Mylohyoid line
Sublingual fossa
Submandibular fossa
Oblique line
Mental protuberance
12) Other structures formed by more than one skull bone:
Pterion
Nasion
Temporal fossa
Inferior nasal conchae (often considered a separate facial bone rather than a structure)
Anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossas
Coronal suture
Lambdoidal suture
Sagittal suture
Squamousal suture
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13) Fissures/Foramina: Those you need to know are listed under the appropriate bone(s) above. You should
know the cranial nerves that pass through the foramina/fissures (refer to plate 10 of Netter and Table 7.2 of
Moore).
14) Sinuses – these will be most easily identified on x-ray films; however, you should be able to identify select
sinuses on the disarticulated skull as well:
Frontal
Ethmoidal
Sphenoid
Maxillary
15) Auditory ossicles (bones of the middle ear):
Malleus
Incus
Stapes
II. Vertebrae
A. Identify and describe the curvatures of the spine:
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Abnormal curvatures of the spine – define/describe:
Scoliosis
Kyphosis
Lordosis
B. Identify the vertebrae of the spinal column:
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacrum
Coccyx
C. Vertebral structures – on cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, identify the following structures:
Body/centrum
Vertebral canal/foramen
Vertebral arch
Spinous process (not on C1/atlas)
Transverse process
Pedicle
Lamina
Superior vertebral notch
Inferior vertebral notch
Intervertebral foramen (on articulated spinal column – formed by superior and inferior notches of adjacent
vertebrae)
Superior articular process and superior articular facet
Inferior articular process and inferior articular facet
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D. Specialized vertebral structures – identify the following structures on the appropriate vertebrae:
1) Cervical vertebrae:
Atlas (C1)
Lateral mass
Superior articular surface (for occipital condyle)
Inferior articular surface (for axis)
Transverse foramen
Anterior tubercle
Posterior tubercle
Articular facet for dens
Anterior arch
Posterior arch
Axis (C2)
Dens (odontoid process)
Superior articular facet (for atlas)
Inferior articular facet (for C3)
Body
Transverse foramen
All remaining cervical vertebrae (C3-C7):
Transverse foramen
Distinguish C7 (vertebra prominens) from C3-C6
2) Thoracic vertebrae:
Superior costal facet (demifacet)
Inferior costal facet (demifacet)
Transverse costal facet
Distinguish T1 and T12 from other thoracic vertebrae
3) Lumbar vertebrae:
Mammillary process
Accessory process
4) Sacrum:
Base
Apex
Dorsal versus pelvic surfaces
Superior articular process and superior articular facet
Lumbosacral articular surface
Sacral canal
Ala
Sacral promontory
Sacral hiatus
Transverse ridges
Anterior and posterior sacral foramina
Auricular surface
Lateral sacral crest (what structures fused to create this?)
Intermediate sacral crest (what structures fused to create this?)
Median sacral crest (what structures fused to create this?)
Sacral cornu
5) Coccyx:
Transverse process
Coccygeal cornu
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III. Thorax - Ribs and Sternum
A. Ribs:
True vs. false (and false floating) rib (articulated skeleton)
Head
Neck
Tubercle
Angle
Body
Superior articular facet
Inferior articular facet
Articular facet for transverse process of vertebra
Costal groove
First rib:
Grooves for subclavian vein and artery
Costochondral joints (articulated skeleton)
Costal cartilage (articulated skeleton)
Interchondral joints (articulated skeleton)
B. Sternum:
Manubrium
Manubriosternal articulation (articulated skeleton)
Body
Xiphoid process (articulated skeleton)
Costal notch
Clavicular notch
Sternoclavicular articulation (articulated skeleton)
Sternocostal articulation (articulated skeleton)
Jugular notch
IV. Pectoral Girdle – Clavicle and Scapula
A. Scapula:
Costal surface
Posterior surface
Subscapular fossa
Glenoid cavity
Coracoid process
Acromion (process)
Spine of scapula
Infraspinous fossa
Suprasinous fossa
Head of scapula
Neck of scapula
Suprascapular notch
Deltoid tubercle of scapular spine
Medial border
Lateral border
Superior angle
Inferior angle
Glenohumeral articulation (articulated skeleton)
Acromioclavicular articulation (articulated skeleton)
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B. Clavicle:
Sternal end
Sternal facet
Acromial end
Acromial facet
Body/shaft
Subclavian groove
Conoid tubercle
Trapezoid line
V. Upper Limb
A. Humerus:
Head
Anatomical neck
Surgical neck
Greater tubercle
Crest of greater tubercle
Lesser tubercle
Crest of lesser tubercle
Intertubercular groove/sulcus
Deltoid tuberosity
Radial groove
Medial condyle
Medial epicondyle
Medial supracondylar ridge
Lateral condyle
Lateral epicondyle
Lateral supracondylar ridge
Radial fossa
Coronoid fossa
Capitulum
Trochlea
Groove for ulnar nerve
Olecranon fossa
Know bones of elbow joint
B. Radius:
Head
Neck
Radial tuberosity
Anterior border
Posterior border
Interosseous border
Styloid process
Dorsal tubercle
Articular surface for scaphoid bone
Articular surface for lunate bone
Groove for extensor pollicis longus muscle
Groove for extensor digitorum and extensor indicis muscles
Groove for extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis muscles
Ulnar notch
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C. Ulna:
Olecranon
Trochlear notch
Ulnar tuberosity
Radial notch
Coronoid process
Anterior border
Interosseous border
Posterior border
Styloid process
D. Bones of the hand:
Carpal bones:
Scaphoid
Lunate
Triquetrum
Pisiform
Trapezium
Trapezoid
Capitate
Hamate
Hook of hamate
Metacarpals I-V:
Know numbering, as well as the dorsal surface, palmar surface, base, shaft and head of each
Phalanges:
Proximal phalanges
Middle phalanges
Distal phalanges
Know dorsal surface, palmar surface, base, shaft, head and tuberosity (distal phal. only) of each
Know bones of wrist joint
VI. Pelvic Girdle – Sacrum and Coxal Bones
A. Sacrum – covered previously under vertebral section
B. Coxal Bone:
Ilium:
Iliac crest
Anterior superior iliac spine
Anterior inferior iliac spine
Posterior superior iliac spine
Posterior inferior iliac spine
Gluteal surface
Anterior, inferior, and posterior gluteal lines
Iliac fossa
Greater sciatic notch
Arcuate line
Auricular surface for sacrum
Iliac tuberosity
Ischium:
Ischial spine
Lesser sciatic notch
Body
Ischial tuberosity
Ramus of ischium
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Coxal bone (continued):
Pubis:
Pubic tubercle
Superior pubic ramus
Inferior pubic ramus
Symphyseal surface
Pectineal line (pecten pubis)
Obturator crest
Obturator groove
Body
Other structures of whole coxal bone:
Obturator foramen
Acetabulum
Acetabular notch
C. Pelvis
Pubic angle
Pelvic inlet
Sacroiliac joint
Greater (false) pelvis
Lesser (true) pelvis
Female vs. male pelvis
VII. Lower Limb
A. Femur
Head
Fovea
Neck
Body (shaft)
Greater trochanter
Lesser trochanter
Intertrochanteric crest
Intertrochanteric line
Gluteal tuberosity
Linea aspera
Popliteal surface
Patellar surface
Adductor tubercle
Lateral epicondyle
Medial epicondyle
Lateral condyle
Medial condyle
Intercondylar fossa
Nutrient foramen (should be present on all long bones – easiest to see on femur)
B. Tibia
Lateral condyle
Medial condyle
Superior articular surfaces
Intercondylar eminence
Lateral intercondylar tubercle
Medial intercondylar tubercle
Tibial tuberosity
Gerdy’s tubercle
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Tibia (continued):
Anterior border
Interosseous border
Medial border
Medial malleolus
Articular facet of medial malleolus
Inferior articular surface
Groove for tibialis posterior and flexor digitorum longus tendons
Soleal line
Nutrient foramen
C. Fibula
Apex
Head
Neck
Anterior border
Interosseous border
Lateral malleolus
Articular facet of lateral malleolus
Malleolar fossa of lateral malleolus
D. Knee Joint
Patella
Anterior cruciate ligament
Posterior cruciate ligament
Lateral meniscus
Medial meniscus
Fibular collateral ligament
Tibial collateral ligament
E. Bones of the foot:
Tarsal bones:
Calcaneus
Tuberosity
Body
Talus
Trochlea
Cuboid
Navicular
Lateral, Intermediate, and Medial cuneiform bones
Metatarsals I-V:
Know numbering, as well as the base, shaft and head of each
Phalanges: (sing = phalynx)
Proximal phalanges
Middle phalanges
Distal phalanges
Know base, shaft, head and tuberosity (distal phalanges only) of each
Know bones of ankle joint
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