Skull Markings

Where is the internal acoustic meatus?

Temporal bone, hole for ear

What does the internal acoustic meatus for?

Passage for cranial nerves 7 and 8

Where are the occipital condyles?

Occipital bone, anterior to the foramen magnum

What do the occipital condyles do?

Articulate with the atlas of the cervical vertebrae to nod head

What is the styloid process?

Fang like structure on the inner temporal bone, medial to the mastoid process

What does the styloid process do?

Attachment for ligaments of the hyoid, several neck and tongue muscles

What is the mastoid process?

Low right angle of the temporal bone, lateral to the styloid process

What does the mastoid process do?

Attachment site for neck muscles

Where is the zygomatic process?

Arch between temporal bone and zygomatic bone

What does the zygomatic process do?

Forms cheek structure

What is the sella turcica?

Saddle like dip in the middle top of the sphenoid

What does the sella turcica do?

Seat of pituitary gland

What are the foramen ovale?

Ovale holes in sphenoid bone, just above the larger foramen lacerum

What do the foramen ovale do?

Passage for cranial nerve 5

What are the foramen lacerum?

Circular, larger foramen in the sphenoid, below the foramen ovale

What do the foramen lacerum do?

Landmark for foramen ovale

What is the foramen magnum?

Large hole in base of skull

What does the foramen magnum do?

Passage for brainstem and spinal cord

Where is the optic canal?

In sphenoid bone, anterior to sella turcica

What does the optic canal do?

Passage for cranial nerve 2 (optic nerve?) and ophthalmic artery

What is the carotid canal?

Canal in internal acoustic meatus

What does the carotid canal do?

Passage for the internal carotid artery

What are the jugular foramen?

Holes bordering the foramen magnum in the occipital bone

What does the jugular foramen do?

Passage for internal jugular vein and cranial nerve 9, 10, 11

What is the sphenoid fonanelle?

Fontanelle by jaw, between squamous and coronal suture

Where is the mastoid fontanelle?

Fontanelle on lateral posterior surface, between lambdoid and squamous sutures

Where is the frontal fontanelle?

Top front of head, between the coronal and sagittal suture

Where is the occipital fontanelle?

Back top of head, between sagittal and lambdoid suture

What is a fontanelle?

Fibrous membranes between skull bones in infant skulls