Squamous part of temporal boneThe squamous part of the temporal bone, or temporal squama, forms the front and upper part of the temporal bone, and is scale-like, thin, and translucent. SurfacesIts outer surface is smooth and ; it affords attachment to the temporal muscle, and forms part of the temporal fossa; on its hinder part is a vertical groove for the middle temporal artery.
Temporal boneThe temporal bone is a paired bone situated at the sides and base of the skull, lateral to the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex. The temporal bones are overlaid by the sides of the head known as the temples where four of the cranial bones fuse. Each temple is covered by a temporal muscle. The temporal bones house the structures of the ears. The lower seven cranial nerves and the major vessels to and from the brain traverse the temporal bone.
Temporal styloid processThe temporal styloid process is a slender bony process of the temporal bone extending downward and forward from the undersurface of the temporal bone just below the ear. The styloid process gives attachments to several muscles, and ligaments. StructureThe styloid process is a slender and pointed bony process of the temporal bone projecting anteroinferiorly from the inferior surface of the temporal bone just below the ear.
Parotid glandThe parotid gland is a major salivary gland in many animals. In humans, the two parotid glands are present on either side of the mouth and in front of both ears. They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the mandibular ramus, and secretes serous saliva through the parotid duct into the mouth, to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches.
Mastoid part of the temporal boneThe mastoid part of the temporal bone is the posterior (back) part of the temporal bone, one of the bones of the skull. Its rough surface gives attachment to various muscles (via tendons) and it has openings for blood vessels. From its borders, the mastoid part articulates with two other bones. In other mammals, the mastoid region forms a part of the petrosal bone, itself a fusion of the prootic, opisthotic, and possibly epiotic.
Mandibular fossaThe mandibular fossa, also known as the glenoid fossa in some dental literature, is the depression in the temporal bone that articulates with the mandible. StructureIn the temporal bone, the mandibular fossa is bounded anteriorly by the articular tubercle and posteriorly by the tympanic portion of the temporal bone, which separates it from the external acoustic meatus. The fossa is divided into two parts by a narrow slit, the petrotympanic fissure (Glaserian fissure).
Petrotympanic fissureThe petrotympanic fissure (also known as the glaserian fissure) is a fissure in the temporal bone that runs from the temporomandibular joint to the tympanic cavity. The mandibular fossa is bounded, in front, by the articular tubercle; behind, by the tympanic part of the bone, which separates it from the external acoustic meatus; it is divided into two parts by a narrow slit, the petrotympanic fissure.
Ear canalThe ear canal (external acoustic meatus, external auditory meatus, EAM) is a pathway running from the outer ear to the middle ear. The adult human ear canal extends from the auricle to the eardrum and is about 25 millimetres (1 in) in length and 7 millimetres (0.3 in) in diameter. StructureThe human ear canal is divided into two parts.
Angular boneThe angular is a large bone in the lower jaw (mandible) of amphibians and reptiles (birds included), which is connected to several other lower jaw bones: the dentary (which is the entire lower jaw in mammals), the splenial, the surangular, and the articular. It is homologous to the tympanic bone in mammals, due to the incorporation of several jaw bones into the mammalian middle ear early in mammal evolution. It is also known as the third infradentary in sarcopterygian fish.
MammalA mammal (from Latin'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the classMammalia (). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones. These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds, from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous period over 300 million years ago.
Eustachian tubeThe Eustachian tube (), also called the auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube, is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear, of which it is also a part. In adult humans, the Eustachian tube is approximately 35 mm (1.4 in) long and 3 mm (0.12 in) in diameter. It has been named by Antonio Maria Valsalva after the sixteenth-century Italian anatomist Bartolomeo Eustachi. In humans and other tetrapods, both the middle ear and the ear canal are normally filled with air.
MandibleIn jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin mandibula, 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lower – and typically more mobile – component of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla). The jawbone is the skull's only movable, posable bone, sharing joints with the cranium's temporal bones. The mandible hosts the lower teeth (their depth delineated by the alveolar process).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.