Skeletal organization skeleton is divided into the axial and appendicular portions Axial skeleton- skull, hyoid bone, vertebral column, and thoracic cage Appendicular skeleton- pectoral girdle, upper limbs, pelvic girdle, and lower limbs. Bone Classification-adult skeleton contains 206 bones Long Bones- long and slender- found in arm, forearm, thigh, leg palms,soles, fingers, toes Short bone- boxlike-found in wrists and ankles sesamoid bones- special class of short bones, usually embedded in tendons and small except the patella(larger) Flat bones- thin, parallel surfaces, found inroof of skull, sternum, ribs, and scapula Irregular bones- complex shapes, with flat, notched or ridged surfaces. Include vertebrae, facial skull bones and hip bones