The anterior auricular muscle, the smallest of the three

auricular muscles The outer ear, external ear, or auris externa is the external part of the ear, which consists of the auricle (also pinna) and the ear canal. It gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum ( tympanic membrane). Structure Auricle The ...

, is thin and fan-shaped, and its fibers are pale and indistinct. It arises from the lateral edge of the

epicranial aponeurosis The epicranial aponeurosis (aponeurosis epicranialis, galea aponeurotica) is an aponeurosis (a tough layer of dense fibrous tissue). It covers the upper part of the skull in humans and many other animals. Structure In humans, the epicranial ...

, and its fibers converge to be inserted into a projection on the front of the

helix A helix (; ) is a shape like a cylindrical coil spring or the thread of a machine screw. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is for ...

Structure

The anterior auricular muscle arises from the lateral edge of the

. It inserts into a projection on the front of the

Nerve supply

The anterior auricular muscle is supplied is supplied by the temporal branch of the

facial nerve The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of ta ...

(VII). It may also receive some small branches from the

auriculotemporal nerve The auriculotemporal nerve is a sensory branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to parts of the external ear, scalp, and temporomandibular joint. The nerve a ...

, a branch of the

mandibular nerve In neuroanatomy, the mandibular nerve (V) is the largest of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth Cranial nerves, cranial nerve (CN V). Unlike the other divisions of the trigeminal nerve (ophthalmic nerve, maxillary nerve) which ...

, itself a branch of the

trigeminal nerve In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve (literal translation, lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for Sense, sensation in the face and motor functions ...

(V).

Relations

The anterior auricular muscle is the smallest of the three

. The

superficial temporal artery In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it splits into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery. Its pulse can be felt above the zygomatic ar ...

, a branch of the

external carotid artery The external carotid artery is the major artery of the head and upper neck. It arises from the common carotid artery. It terminates by splitting into the superficial temporal and maxillary artery within the parotid gland. Structure Origin T ...

, travels underneath the anterior auricular muscle to supply the auricle of the

outer ear The outer ear, external ear, or auris externa is the external part of the ear, which consists of the auricle (also pinna) and the ear canal. It gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum ( tympanic membrane). Structure Auricle The ...

Function

The anterior auricular muscle draws the auricle of the

upwards and forwards. This is a very subtle movement in most people, although some people can wiggle their ears.

Additional images

File:Auricularis anterior.png, Auricula in context.

References