Which bone is NOT listed as a portion of the skull in the material?

• A. Frontal
• B. Occipital
• C. Mandible
• D. Parietal

Answer: (C)

The skull consists of the bones that encase the brain (the cranial bones) and, in many classifications, some facial bones that form the face. The mandible, or lower jaw, is a facial bone that is movable and articulates with the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint, not part of the cranial skull itself. The frontal bone forms the forehead and front part of the skull, the occipital bone forms the back and base, and the parietal bones make up the upper sides of the skull; all of these are cranial bones. So the mandible is not listed as a portion of the skull in most materials because it belongs to the facial skeleton, not the skull proper.