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Tragicus
Other Terms:
Musculus tragicus,
Muscle du tragus
Muscle parts
Muscle of terminal notch
Latin name
Musculus tragicus
Latin muscle parts
Musculus incisurae terminalis
Group
Branchial arch muscle – second arch (Auricular muscle)
Etymology
In English, this muscle’s name is the muscle of the goat. The term tragicus (for tragus), which is the name for the cartilage flap the covers the opening to the ear, is from the Greek word tragos for “goat.” The early anatomists thought that the hairs that often grow out of the tragus resembled the scraggly hairs on the chin of the goat.
Origin
Base of the tragus of the ear cartilage
Insertion
Apex of the tragus of the ear cartilage
Action
Tense the tragus of the auricular cartilage to help increase the opening into the external acoustic meatus. While this is a potential action in some individuals, in the majority of individuals the muscle modifies auricular shape to a minimal degree.
Nerve supply
Facial nerve (Cranial nerve VII)
Blood supply
Auricular branches of the posterior auricular and occipital arteries.
Latin
Musculus tragicus
French
Muscle du tragus