The salpingopharyngeus muscle is a

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 ...

of the

pharynx The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...

. It arises from the lower part of the cartilage of the

Eustachian tube The Eustachian tube (), also called the auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube, is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear, of which it is also a part. In adult humans, the Eustachian tube is approximately long and in diameter. It ...

, and inserts into the palatopharyngeus muscle by blending with its posterior

fasciculus ''Fasciculus vesanus'' is an extinct species of stem-group ctenophores known from the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada. It is dated to and belongs to middle Cambrian strata. The species is remarkable for its two sets of long and sho ...

. It is innervated by vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) via the pharyngeal plexus. It raises the

and

larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal ...

during deglutition (swallowing) and laterally draws the pharyngeal walls up. It opens the pharyngeal orifice of the

during swallowing to allow for the equalization of pressure between it and the pharynx.

Structure

The salpingopharyngeus is a very slender muscle. It passes inferior-ward from its origin to its insertion within the

salpingopharyngeal fold The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its ...

Origin

The salpingopharyngeus muscle arises from the inferior portion of the cartilaginous part of the pharyngotympanic tube near its pharyngeal opening. Its origin creates the posterior welt of the

torus tubarius The torus tubarius (or torus of the auditory tube) is an elevation of the mucous membrane of the Pharynx#Nasopharynx, nasal part of the pharynx formed by the underlying base of the Eustachian tube, cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube, Eu ...

Insertion

It ends distally by blending with the palatopharyngeus muscle.

Innervation

The salpingopharyngeus receives motor innervation from the pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve.

Blood supply

The salpingopharyngeus muscle receives arterial supply from the ascending palatine artery,

greater palatine artery The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery (a terminal branch of the maxillary artery) and contributes to the blood supply of the hard palate and nasal septum. Course The descending palatine artery branches off of ...

, and the pharyngeal branch of the

ascending pharyngeal artery The ascending pharyngeal artery is an artery of the neck that supplies the pharynx. Its named branches are the inferior tympanic artery, pharyngeal artery, and posterior meningeal artery. inferior tympanic artery, and the meningeal branches (i ...

Variation

The salpingopharyngeus muscle is absent in about 40% of individuals. It is more common in thin individuals.

Function

The salpingopharyngeus muscle raises the

and

during deglutition (swallowing) and laterally draws the pharyngeal walls up. Unusually, it is relaxed during deglutition, but contracts at all other times. It opens the pharyngeal orifice of the

during swallowing allowing for the equalization of pressure between the it and the pharynx.

Additional images

References

External links

Illustration at princetonchiropractic.com
{{Authority control Muscles of the head and neck Pharynx