The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle (occasionally shortened alaeque nasi muscle) is, translated from
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, the "lifter of both the
upper lip
The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...
and of the
wing of the nose". The
muscle
Muscle is a soft tissue, one of the four basic types of animal tissue. There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Muscle tissue gives skeletal muscles the ability to muscle contra ...
is attached to the upper frontal process of the
maxilla
In vertebrates, the maxilla (: maxillae ) is the upper fixed (not fixed in Neopterygii) bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. In humans, the upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. The two maxil ...
and inserts into the skin of the lateral part of the nostril and upper lip. At 44 characters, its name is longer than that of any other muscle.
Overview
Historically known as Vidar's muscle, it dilates the nostril and elevates the upper lip, enabling one to
snarl
A snarl is a sound, often a growl or vicious utterance, often accompanied by a facial expression, where the upper lip is raised, and the nostrils widen, generally indicating hate, anger or pain. In addition to humans, other mammals including ...
. ''Snore'' is used because it is the labial elevator closest to the nose. The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi is sometimes referred to as the "angular head" of the
levator labii superioris
The levator labii superioris (: ''levatores labii superioris'', also called quadratus labii superioris, : ''quadrati labii superioris'') is a muscle of the human body used in facial expression. It is a broad sheet, the origin of which extends fro ...
muscle.
See also
*
Frontalis muscle
The frontalis muscle () is a muscle which covers parts of the forehead of the skull. Some sources consider the frontalis muscle to be a distinct muscle. However, Terminologia Anatomica currently classifies it as part of the occipitofrontalis muscl ...
References
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Muscles of the head and neck
Human head and neck
Facial muscles