The Skull Bones Anatomy – Inferior View

Author: Scott A. Sheffield MS

Last update: Nov 1st, 2022

In this article, we will review the bones of the skull from an inferior view.

Cranial bones and Facial bones:

Let’s start with taking a look at the cranial and facial bones from an anterior view before we dive into their markings from an inferior perspective. 

Facial Bones:

1. Zygomatic bone (os zygomaticum).
2. Maxilla bone (os maxilla).
3. Palatine bone (os palatinum).

 

Learn skull anatomy faster with these interactive skull bones quizzes and worksheets.

Cranial Bones:

1. Sphenoid bone (os sphenoidale).
2. Temporal bone (os temporale).
3. Parietal bone (os parietale).
4. Occipital bone (os occipitale).

Maxilla Bone:

1. Palatine process of maxilla (processus palatinus maxillae).
2. Incisive foramen (foramen incisivum maxillae).

Palatine bone:

1. Horizontal plate of palatine bone (pars horizontalis palatini).
2. Greater palatine foramen (foramen palatinum majus).
3. Lesser palatine foramen (foramina palatina minora).

 

Use these interactive quizzes and worksheets to quickly and efficiently learn skull bone anatomy.

Zygomatic Bone:

1. Temporal process of zygomatic bone (processus temporalis zygomatici).

Sphenoid Bone:

1. Body of sphenoid bone (corpus sphenoidalis).
2. Pterygoid process (processus pterygoideus sphenoidalis).
3. Lateral pterygoid plate (lamina lateralis processus pterygoideus sphenoidalis).
4. Medial pterygoid plate (lamina medialis processus pterygoideus sphenoidalis).
5. Pterygoid hamulus (hamalus pterygoideus sphenoidalis).
6. Greater wing (ala major sphenoidalis).
7. Foramen ovale (foramen ovale sphenoidalis).
8. Foramen spinosum (foramen spinosum sphenoidalis).

Temporal Bone:

1. Squamous part of temporal bone (pars squamosa or squama temporalis).
2. Zygomatic process (processus zygomaticus temporalis).
3. Mandibular fossa or glenoid fossa (fossa mandibularis temporalis).
4. Tympanic part (pars tympanica temporalis).
5. External acoustic meatus or auditory meatus (meatus acusticus externu temporalis).
6. Styloid process (processus styloideus temporalis).
7. Petrous part (pars petrosa temporalis).
8. Carotid canal (canalis caroticus temporalis).
9. Mastoid process (processus mastoideus temporalis).
10. Mastoid part (processus mastoideus temporalis).
11. Mastoid notch (incisura mastoidea temporalis).
12. Stylomastoid foramen (foramen stylomastoideum temporalis).
13. Mastoid foramen (foramen mastoideum temporalis).

 

Use these interactive spaced repetition-style quizzes and worksheets to quickly and efficiently learn skull bone anatomy.

Occipital Bone:

1. Foramen magnum (foramen magnum occipitalis).
2. Basilar part of occipital bone (pars basilaris occipitalis).
3. Lateral part (pars lateralis occipitalis).
4. Occipital condyle (condylus occipitalis).
5. Condylar canal (canalis condylaris occipitalis).
6. Squamous part (squama occipitalis).
7. External occipital protuberance (protuberantia occipitalis externa).
8. Superior nuchal line (linea nuchalis superior occipitalis).
9. External occipital crest (crista occipitalis).
10. Inferior nuchal line (linea nuchalis inferior occipitalis).

Between Bones:

1. Foramen lacerum (foramen lacerum).
2. Jugular foramen (foramen jugulare).

Test yourself:

Skull bones – inferior view [Show/Hide answers]

Inferior Skull markings: [Show/Hide answers]

Inferior view – Temporal bone [Show/Hide answers]

Inferior view – Occipital bone [Show/Hide answers]