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Why are ribs 11 and 12 called floating ribs?

User Licysca
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The phrase floating rib (Latin: costae fluctuantes) refers to the two lowermost, the eleventh and twelfth rib pairs; so-called because they are attached only to the vertebrae–and not to the sternum or cartilage of the sternum.
User JohnRaja
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The phrase floating rib (Latin: costae fluctuantes) refers to the two lowermost, the eleventh and twelfth rib pairs; so-called because they are attached only to the vertebrae–and not to the sternum or cartilage of the sternum.

User Robin Stewart
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