Bone: Jugular fossa
Base of the skull. Inferior surface. Jugular fossa labeled in purple near center.
View of the inner wall of the tympanum. (Jugular fossa visible at bottom.)
Latin	fossa jugularis ossis temporalis
Gray's	subject #34 144

The jugular fossa is a deep depression in the inferior part of the base of the skull. More specifically, it is located in the temporal bone, posterior to the carotid canal and the aquæductus cochleæ. It is of variable depth and size in different skulls; it lodges the bulb of the internal jugular vein.

In the bony ridge dividing the carotid canal from the jugular fossa is the small inferior tympanic canaliculus for the passage of the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

In the lateral part of the jugular fossa is the mastoid canaliculus for the entrance of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.

Behind the jugular fossa is a quadrilateral area, the jugular surface, covered with cartilage in the fresh state, and articulating with the jugular process of the occipital bone.

[edit] See also

• Fossa

[edit] Additional images

Left temporal bone. Inferior surface. (Label for jugular fossa at left, sixth from bottom.)

Temporal bone

[edit] External links

• Picture (#32 on third diagram)
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34257.000-1

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the neurocranium of the skull (TA A02.1.01-07, GA 2.129-155) Occipital Squama external (Inion/External occipital protuberance, Nuchal lines) · planes (Occipital, Nuchal) · internal (Cruciform eminence, Internal occipital protuberance, Sagittal sulcus, Internal occipital crest) Lateral parts Condyle (Condyloid fossa, Condylar canal) · Hypoglossal canal · jugular (Jugular process, Jugular tubercle) Basilar part Pharyngeal tubercle Other Foramen magnum (Basion, Opisthion) Parietal Parietal eminence · Temporal line · Parietal foramen Frontal Squama Frontal suture · Frontal eminence · external (Superciliary arches, Glabella) · foramina (Supraorbital, Cecum) · Zygomatic process · internal (Sagittal sulcus, Frontal crest) Orbital part Ethmoidal notch · Lacrimal fossa · Trochlear fovea · Frontal sinus · Frontonasal duct Temporal Squama 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 for 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 Superior nasal concha · Superior meatus · Middle nasal concha · Middle meatus Labyrinth Ethmoid sinus · ethmoidal foramina (Posterior, Anterior)

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