Stylopharyngeus muscle

Stylopharyngeus muscle
Muscles of the pharynx and cheek. (Stylopharyngeus visible at center left.)
Details
Origin	Styloid process (temporal)
Insertion	thyroid cartilage (larynx)
Nerve	glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
Actions	elevate the larynx, elevate the pharynx, swallowing
Identifiers
Latin	musculus stylopharyngeus
TA98	A05.3.01.114
TA2	2190
FMA	46664
Anatomical terms of muscle

The stylopharyngeus is a muscle in the head that stretches between the temporal styloid process and the pharynx.

Structure

The stylopharyngeus is a long, slender muscle, cylindrical above, flattened below. It arises from the medial side of the base of the temporal styloid process, passes downward along the side of the pharynx between the superior pharyngeal constrictor and the middle pharyngeal constrictor, and spreads out beneath the mucous membrane.

Some of its fibers are lost in the constrictor muscles while others, joining the palatopharyngeus muscle, are inserted into the posterior border of the thyroid cartilage.

The glossopharyngeal nerve runs on the lateral side of this muscle, and crosses over it to reach the tongue.

Function

The stylopharyngeus:

• elevates the larynx
• elevates the pharynx
• dilates the pharynx to permit the passage of a large food bolus, thereby facilitating swallowing

See also

• Stylohyoid muscle
• Styloglossus muscle

Additional images

• 
  Stylopharyngeus muscle.
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  Left temporal bone. Inferior surface.
• 
  The cartilages of the larynx. Posterior view.
• 
  Side view of the larynx, showing muscular attachments.
• 
  Extrinsic muscles of the tongue. Left side.
• 
  Muscles of the pharynx, viewed from behind, together with the associated vessels and nerves.
• 
  Stylopharyngeus muscle
• 
  Stylopharyngeus muscle
• 
  Stylopharyngeus muscle
• 
  Stylopharyngeus muscle

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1143 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)