Anatomy P110 - Complete Muscle List and Actions

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering all 78 muscles and their specific anatomical actions from the Anatomy P110 muscle list.

Epicranius (Frontalis and Occipitalis)

Frontalis elevates eyebrows; Occipitalis moves scalp backward; connected by aponeurosis.

Orbicularis oculi

Closes eye.

Orbicularis oris

Closes and purses lips (kissing).

Buccinator

Compresses cheek (lies under masseter).

Zygomaticus

Elevates corner of mouth (smile); composed of two parts located by the zygomatic bone.

Platysma

Depresses angle of mouth downward (pouting); big flap on side of neck.

Masseter

Elevates mandible (mastication / chewing).

Temporalis

Elevates mandible (goes to coronoid process).

Digastric

Raises hyoid (located under chin).

Mylohyoid

Elevates floor of mouth.

Sternothyroid

Depresses thyroid cartilage.

Sternohyoid

Depresses hyoid bone (front of neck).

Omohyoid

Depresses hyoid bone.

Thyrohyoid

Depresses hyoid bone.

Sternocleidomastoid

Singly: turns head to side; Together: flexes neck (attaches to sternum, clavicle, and mastoid process / bump behind ear).

Splenius capitis

Singly: turns head to one side; Both sides together: extends neck.

Trapezius

Elevates, adducts, or depresses scapula (makes a diamond shape).

Deltoid

Flexes, abducts, or extends humerus.

Latissimus dorsi

Extends and adducts and rotates humerus medially (handcuff motion).

Levator scapulae

Elevates scapula.

Rhomboid major and minor

Elevates and adducts scapula (shares the same action because they are connected in the same place).

Supraspinatus

Abducts the upper arm (located on back of scapula).

Infraspinatus

Rotates arm laterally.

Teres minor

Rotates arm laterally.

Teres major

Extends, adducts and rotates arm medially.

Subscapularis

Rotates arm medially (located on front of scapula; goes to lesser tubercle of humerus).

Spinalis (thoracis)

Extends vertebral column.

Longissimus (thoracis and cervicis parts)

Extends vertebral column.

Iliocostalis (lumborum, thoracis, and cervicis parts)

Extends vertebral column.

Pectoralis major

Flexes, adducts, and rotates humerus medially.

Pectoralis minor

Pulls scapula forward and downward.

Serratus anterior

Pulls scapula forward and downward.

Internal intercostals

Exhalation (located between ribs from sternum all the way out).

External intercostals

Inhalation (located between ribs).

External oblique

Tenses and compresses abdominal wall (angled muscle on belly).

Internal oblique

Tenses and compresses abdominal wall.

Transversus abdominis

Tenses and compresses abdominal wall.

Rectus abdominis

Flexes vertebral column (straight muscle used in sit-ups; six-pack).

Coracobrachialis

Flexes and adducts upper arm (attaches to coracoid process of scapula).

Biceps brachii

Flexes arm at elbow (has two heads: long head and short head).

Brachialis

Flexes arm at elbow (located in upper arm).

Triceps brachii

Extends arm at elbow (three heads).

Brachioradialis

Flexes arm at elbow (weak).

Pronator teres

Pronates hand.

Flexor carpi radialis

Flexes and abducts wrist.

Palmaris longus

Flexes wrist (goes to palm).

Flexor digitorum superficialis

Flexes fingers and wrist.

Flexor carpi ulnaris

Flexes and adducts wrist.

Extensor carpi radialis longus

Extends and abducts wrist (back of forearm).

Extensor carpi radialis brevis

Extends and abducts wrist.

Extensor digitorum

Extends fingers.

Extensor carpi ulnaris

Extends and adducts wrist.

Gluteus maximus

Extends thigh.

Gluteus medius

Abducts thigh.

Gluteus minimus

Abducts thigh.

Tensor fasciae latae

Abducts thigh.

Iliacus

Flexes thigh (forms part of iliopsoas; located on ilium).

Psoas major and minor

Flexes thigh (forms part of iliopsoas).

Pectineus

Adducts thigh (weak flexor).

Adductor brevis

Adducts thigh (hiding).

Adductor longus

Adducts thigh.

Adductor magnus

Adducts thigh (hiding).

Gracilis

Adducts thigh, flexes leg at knee.

Sartorius

Flexes thigh and lower leg (longest muscle in the body).

Rectus femoris

Extends lower leg (straight muscle on anterior thigh).

Vastus lateralis

Extends lower leg.

Vastus medialis

Extends lower leg.

Vastus intermedius

Extends lower leg (located underneath rectus femoris).

Biceps femoris

Extends thigh and flexes lower leg (part of hamstrings).

Semitendinosus

Extends thigh and flexes lower leg (part of hamstrings).

Semimembranosus

Extends thigh and flexes lower leg (part of hamstrings).

Tibialis anterior

Dorsiflexion and inversion of foot (located on anterior lower leg).

Extensor hallucis longus

Extension of great toe (big toe).

Extensor digitorum longus

Extension of toes.

Fibularis longus (Peroneus longus)

Plantar flexion and eversion of foot (runs along fibula).

Plantaris

Plantar flexion of foot (underneath gastrocnemius).

Gastrocnemius

Plantar flexion of foot and flexion of lower leg (calf muscle).

Soleus

Plantar flexion of foot (located under gastrocnemius).