The axial skeleton includes b) ribs.
To elaborate, the axial skeleton consists of the bones that form the central axis of the body, including the skull, vertebral column, and rib cage. The ribs protect vital organs like the heart and lungs, while bones such as the femur, ulna, phalanges, and metatarsals belong to the appendicular skeleton, which consists of the limbs and the bones that connect them to the axial skeleton.