The human skeleton
The endoskeleton of humans is made up of 206 individual bones. These can be grouped according to their functions. The 80 bones of the axial skeleton support the main body axis, and the 126 bones of the appendicular skeleton support the arms and legs. Interestingly, the motor control systems of the body have evolved to control the muscles of the axial skeleton and the appendages more or less independently.

The axial skeleton.
The axial skeleton is made up of the skull, backbone, and rib cage. Of the skull's 28 bones, 8 form the cranium that encases the brain; the rest are facial bones and middle ear bones. The skull also contains the hyoid bone. It is suspended at the back of the jaw by muscles and a form of connective tissue called a ligament and supports the base of the tongue. The skull is attached to the anterior end of the backbone, which is also called the spine or vertebral column. The spine has 33 vertebrate, stacked one on an other to provide a flexible column that surrounds and protects the spinal cord. Curving forward from the vertebrae are 12 pairs of ribs, which are attached at the front to the breastbone, or sternum, forming a protective cage around the heart and lungs.

The appendicular skeleton
The 126 bones of the appendicular skeleton are attached to the axial skeleton at the shoulders and hips. The shoulder or pectoral girdle is composed of two large, flat shoulders blades, each connected to the breastbone by a slender, curved collarbone. The arms are attached to the pectoral girdle. Each arm and hand contains 32 bones. The clavicle is the most frequently broken bone of the body; if you fall on an outstretched arm, a large component of the force is transmitted to the clavicle. The pelvic girdle forms a bowl that provides strong connections for the legs, which carry the weight of the body. Each leg and foot contains a total of 30 bones.