Question

Coccygeal bone is formed by the fusion of ____ bones in man
A) 3 vertebrae
B) 6 vertebrae
C) 5 vertebrae
D) 4 vertebrae

Answer 1

The coccygeal bone which is also known as the coccyx is basically the tailbone that is found at the far end of the vertebral column and is a vestigial part of the body.

Complete answer:
The coccyx which is a triangular bone situated at the end of the vertebral column is known to be made up of three, four or five fused rudimentary vertebrae but most common is the fusion of four vertebrae. It is located below the sacrum. The anterior portion of the coccyx is concave whereas the posterior portion is convex and both of which comprises grooves that serves as a region of attachment for different segments which mostly comprises muscles and ligaments. Previously coccyx was thought to be a purely vestigial part of the body but now it is found that since it is attached to so many muscles and ligaments it does serve some purpose. It has been found out that the removal of the coccyx resulted in an increased chance of occurence of perineal hernia also known as coccygeal hernia.

So the correct answer is option (D) 4 vertebrae.

Note: Coccygeal bone is thus an important part of the human body. Injury to the coccyx can be very painful leading to a condition called coccydynia. Coccyx are also associated with many tumours which are removed by a process known as coccygectomy.