Final answer:
The statement is False. The appendicular skeleton does not include the skull and vertebral column; this is a characteristic of the axial skeleton. The appendicular skeleton comprises all bones of the upper and lower limbs and the girdles that attach these limbs to the axial skeleton.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the appendicular skeleton refers to the skull and vertebral column is False. The axial skeleton is the one that includes the skull and vertebral column, along with the thoracic cage. On the other hand, the appendicular skeleton consists of the bones that form the appendages of the body – this includes all bones of the upper and lower limbs, as well as the pectoral and pelvic girdles that attach these limbs to the axial skeleton. There are a total of 126 bones in the appendicular skeleton.