Stylopharyngeus 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.

Nerve supply

The Stylopharyngeus is the only muscle in the pharynx innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve through branchial motor fibers that originate in the rostral part of the nucleus ambiguus.

Development

Embryological origin is the third pharyngeal arch

Function

The stylopharyngeus: