Temporal bone
Squamous part
attachments - temporalis muscle
Zygomatic process
(G. zygon, yoke, a joining)
attachments - masseter muscle
function - articulates with TMJ disc
Articular eminence and tubercle
Petrotympanic fissure
(L. petra, rock, G. tympanon, drum)
function - transmits chorda tympani nerve
Squamotympanic fissure
attachments - articular disc
External auditory meatus
(L. a going, passage)
Mastoid part
(G. mastos, breast + G. eidos, resemblance)
attachments - sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis and longissimus capitis muscles
function - houses sigmoid sinus
Mastoid notch
attachments - poserior belly of digastric muscle
Occipital groove
function - houses occipital artery
Petrous part
(L. petra, rock)
Trigeminal impression
(G. zygon, yoke, a joining)
function - houses trigeminal ganglion
Posterior surface
Internal auditory meatus
function - transmits facial and vestibulocochlear nerves
Inferior surface
Carotid canal
function - transmits the internal carotid artery and carotid nerve
Jugular fossa
function - transmits the internal jugular vein and the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves
Canaliculus for the tympanic nerve
(L. small canal)
function - transmits the tympanic nerve
Superior border
attachments - tentorium cerebelli
Groove for the superior petrosal sinus
function - houses the superior petrosal sinus
Tegmen tympanii
details - sliver of bone in squamotympanic fissure
Tympanic part
(G. tympanon, drum)
Styloid process
(G. stylos, pillar, post)
attachments - stylohyoid, stylopharyngeus and styloglossus muscles and stylohyoid ligament
Stylomastoid foramen
(G. stylos, pillar, post)
function - transmits the facial nerve