Question

The smallest bone in rabbit and human is:
A. Stapes
B. Patella
C. Nasal
D. Palatine

Answer 1

Hint: A normal human infant contains about 300 bones which fuse during growth and reaches the count of 206 in the adult stage. These bones along with the cartilage help the body in movement and locomotion.

Complete answer:
Our skeletal system consists of specialized connective tissue of framework of bones and some cartilages. Bones are made up of hard matrices due to deposits of calcium salts and cartilages are soft and pliable due to the presence of chondroitin salts. Here we will discuss the given bones and conclude the correct answer.
Stapes are a part of ear ossicles. Ear ossicles are present in the ear and have three parts which are attached to each other with a thread-like structure. These ear ossicles transmit the sound waves from one another to cause hearing. Its parts are: malleus, incus and stapes, out of which stapes is a stirrup shaped bone and also the smallest bone in the human as well as in rabbits.
Patella is also commonly known as the knee-cap is present on the knees and covers the knee joint. It is a flat, circular-triangular bone which articulates with femur (the thigh bone). It is found in many animals such as mice, cats and birds but not in all mammals.
Nasal bone is the part of the human skull. Basically it is made of two long parts which are joined from the middle and form the upper part or bridge of the nose. These bones vary in size in different organisms.
Palatine bones are two irregular facial bones that are present in the throat above the uvula. These bones are located at the back and form cavities in the skull that are the oral cavity and nasal cavity.
Therefore, as we saw, the stapes is the smallest bone in rabbits and humans.

So, the correct answer is option a.

Note: The human skeleton is divided into two basic parts: axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. Axial skeleton has a total of 80 bones along the main axis of the body which include the skull, vertebral column, sternum and ribs. Skull contains two types of bones, cranial bones (8 in number) and facial bones (14).