Pterygoid fossa

Pterygoid fossa
Sphenoid bone. Upper and posterior surfaces. (Pterygoid fossa labeled at left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fossa pterygoidea ossis sphenoidalis
TA98	A02.1.05.046
TA2	632
FMA	84970
Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

The pterygoid fossa is an anatomical term for the fossa formed by the divergence of the lateral pterygoid plate and the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone.

Structure

The lateral and medial pterygoid plates (of the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone) diverge behind and enclose between them a V-shaped fossa, the pterygoid fossa. This fossa faces posteriorly, and contains the medial pterygoid muscle and the tensor veli palatini muscle.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 151 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

Neurocranium of the skull

Occipital

Squamous part	external Inion/External occipital protuberance Occipital bun External occipital crest Nuchal lines Suprainiac fossa planes Occipital Nuchal internal Cruciform eminence Internal occipital protuberance Internal occipital crest Groove for transverse sinus
Lateral parts	Condyle Condyloid fossa Condylar canal Hypoglossal canal jugular Jugular process Jugular tubercle
Basilar part	Pharyngeal tubercle Clivus
Other	Foramen magnum Basion Opisthion

Parietal

Frontal

Squamous part	Frontal suture Frontal eminence external Superciliary arches Glabella foramina Supraorbital foramen Brow ridge Foramen cecum Zygomatic process internal Sagittal sulcus Frontal crest
Orbital part	Ethmoidal notch Fossa for lacrimal gland Trochlear fovea Frontal sinus Frontonasal duct

Temporal

Squamous part	Articular tubercle Suprameatal triangle Mandibular fossa Petrotympanic fissure Zygomatic process
Mastoid part	Mastoid foramen Mastoid process (Mastoid cells) Mastoid notch Occipital groove Sigmoid sulcus Mastoid antrum (Aditus)
Petrous part	Carotid canal Facial canal Hiatus Internal auditory meatus Cochlear aqueduct Stylomastoid foramen fossae Subarcuate fossa Jugular fossa canaliculi Inferior tympanic Mastoid Styloid process Petrosquamous suture (note: ossicles in petrous part, but not part of temporal bone)
Tympanic part	Suprameatal spine

Sphenoid

Surfaces	Superior surface: Sella turcica Dorsum sellae Tuberculum sellae Hypophysial fossa Posterior clinoid processes Ethmoidal spine Chiasmatic groove Middle clinoid process Petrosal process Clivus Lateral surface: Carotid groove Sphenoidal lingula Anterior surface: Sphenoidal sinuses
Great wings	foramina Rotundum Ovale Vesalii Spinosum Spine Infratemporal crest Sulcus of auditory tube
Small wings	Superior orbital fissure Anterior clinoid process Optic canal
Pterygoid processes	fossae Pterygoid Scaphoid pterygoid plates Lateral Medial Pterygoid canal Hamulus
Other	Body Sphenoidal conchae

Ethmoid

Plates	Cribriform plate Crista galli Olfactory foramina Perpendicular plate
Surfaces	Lateral surface Orbital lamina Uncinate process Medial surface Supreme nasal concha Superior nasal concha Superior meatus Middle nasal concha Middle meatus
Labyrinth	Ethmoid sinus ethmoidal foramina Posterior Anterior