Insertion Galea aponeurosis Actions Moves the scalp back | Artery Occipital artery | |
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Origin Superior nuchal line of the occipital bone and mastoid process of the temporal bone Nerve Posterior auricular nerve (facial nerve) Latin Venter occipitalis musculi occipitofrontalis | ||
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.
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 galea aponeurotica.
The occipitalis muscle is innervated by the facial nerve and its function is to move the scalp back. The muscles receives blood from the occipital artery.
References
Occipitalis muscle Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA