The splenius muscles are: *

Splenius capitis muscle The splenius capitis () () is a broad, straplike muscle in the back of the neck. It pulls on the base of the skull from the vertebrae in the neck and upper thorax. It is involved in movements such as shaking the head. Structure It arises from ...

Splenius cervicis muscle The splenius cervicis () (also known as the splenius colli, ) is a muscle in the back of the neck. It arises by a narrow tendinous band from the spinous processes of the third to the sixth thoracic vertebrae In vertebrates, thoracic vertebrae ...

Their origins are in the upper thoracic and lower cervical

spinous process Each vertebra (: vertebrae) is an irregular bone with a complex structure composed of bone and some hyaline cartilage, that make up the vertebral column or spine, of vertebrates. The proportions of the vertebrae differ according to their spina ...

es. Their actions are to extend and ipsilaterally rotate the head and neck.

References

Muscles of the torso {{Muscle-stub