Occipitalis muscle
The occipitalis muscle (occipital belly) is a muscle which covers parts of the skull. Some sources consider the occipital muscle to be a distinct muscle. However, Terminologia Anatomica currently classifies it as part of the occipitofrontalis muscle along with the frontalis muscle.
Occipitalis muscle | |
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Details | |
Origin | Superior nuchal line of the occipital bone and mastoid process of the temporal bone |
Insertion | Galea aponeurosis |
Artery | Occipital artery |
Nerve | Posterior auricular nerve (facial nerve) |
Actions | Moves the scalp back |
Identifiers | |
Latin | Venter occipitalis musculi occipitofrontalis |
TA98 | A04.1.03.005 |
TA2 | 2057 |
FMA | 46758 |
Anatomical terms of muscle |
The occipitalis muscle is thin and quadrilateral in form. It arises from tendinous fibers from the lateral two-thirds of the superior nuchal line of the occipital bone and from the mastoid process of the temporal and ends in the epicranial aponeurosis.[1]
The occipitalis muscle is innervated by the facial nerve and its function is to move the scalp back.[2] The muscles receives blood from the occipital artery.
Additional image
- Position of occipitalis muscle (shown in red).
See also
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 379 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- Stone, Robert & Judith (2000). Atlas of skeletal muscles. McGraw-Hill. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-07-290332-4.
- Drake, Richard L.; Vogl, A. Wayne; Mitchell, Adam W. M. (2010). Gray's Anatomy for Students (2nd ed.). p. 857. ISBN 978-0-443-06952-9.