Subarcuate fossa

Depression in the temporal bone in the skull of mammals

Subarcuate fossa
Left temporal bone. Inner surface. (Subarcuate fossa not labeled, but aquaeductus vestibuli labeled at lower right.)
Base of the skull. Upper surface. (Subarcuate fossa not labeled, but temporal bone is identified in pink, and "Eminentia arcuata" (i.e. arcuate eminence, corresponding to the superior semicircular canal) is labeled.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fossa subarcuata ossis temporalis
TA98	A02.1.06.034
TA2	672
FMA	56418
Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

The subarcuate fossa is a shallow^[1] depression upon the internal surface of the petrous part of the temporal bone^[2] forming the wall of the posterior cranial fossa. The fossa accommodates the flocculus of the cerebellum. It is situated lateral/posterior to the internal auditory meatus.^[1]

Anatomy

The subarcuate fossa is situated posteriorly^[3]^: 568 and superiorly^[3]^: 737 between the opening of the vestibular aqueduct and opening of internal auditory meatus.^[3]^{: 568, 737}

The surface of the subarcuate fossa is lined with dura mater and lodges the endolymphatic sac and duct, as well as a minute artery and vein;^[3]^: 568 some veins from the mucosa of mastoid antrum enter the cranial cavity at the subarcuate fossa to drain at the superior petrosal sinus - they are remnants of larger subarcuate veins of childhood and represent a possible route of intracranial infectious spread.^[3]^: 749

Other animals

It is extensive in most primates (except for great apes) and nearly all mammals. In these animals, the subarcuate fossa houses a part of the cerebellum, the petrosal lobe.^[4]^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b Sinnatamby, Chummy S. (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). Elsevier Australia. p. 451. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.
^ "Fossa subarcuata". TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Gannon PJ, Eden AR, Laitman JT (Oct 1988). "The subarcuate fossa and cerebellum of extant primates: comparative study of a skull-brain interface". Am J Phys Anthropol. 77 (2): 143–64. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330770202. PMID 3207165.
^ Jeffery N, Ryan TM, Spoor F (Aug 2008). "The primate subarcuate fossa and its relationship to the semicircular canals part II: adult interspecific variation". J Hum Evol. 55 (2): 326–39. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.02.010. PMID 18395770.

External links

"Anatomy diagram: 34257.000-2". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22.

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