Nuchal lines

Nuchal lines
Occipital bone. Outer surface.
Side view of head, showing surface relations of bones. (Superior and median lines visible at bottom right.)
Details
Latin	Linea nuchae
Identifiers
Gray's	p.130
TA	A02.1.04.024 A02.1.04.025 A02.1.04.026
Anatomical terms of bone

The nuchal lines are four curved lines on the external surface of the occipital bone:

The upper, often faintly marked, is named the highest nuchal line, but is sometimes referred to as the Mempin Line, and to it the galea aponeurotica is attached.
Below the highest nuchal line is the superior nuchal line. To it is attached the Occipitalis muscle, the Splenius capitis muscle, the trapezius muscle, and the Sternocleidomastoid muscle.
From the external occipital protuberance a ridge or crest, the median nuchal line, often faintly marked, descends to the foramen magnum, and affords attachment to the ligamentum nuchæ.
Running from the middle of this line is the inferior nuchal line. Attached are the Obliquus capitis superior muscle, Rectus capitis posterior major muscle, and Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle.

Additional images

Posterior view of superior nuchal line (labeled in red) and muscles connecting to it.
Base of skull. Inferior surface.

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

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Squama	external Inion/External occipital protuberance External occipital crest Nuchal lines planes Occipital Nuchal internal Cruciform eminence Internal occipital protuberance Sagittal sulcus 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

Squama	Frontal suture Frontal eminence external Superciliary arches Glabella foramina Supraorbital Cecum Zygomatic process internal Sagittal sulcus Frontal crest

Orbital part	Ethmoidal notch Fossa for lacrimal gland Trochlear fovea Frontal sinus Frontonasal duct

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

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

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

Index of bones and cartilage

Description	Anatomy bones skull face neurocranium compound structures foramina upper extremity torso pelvis lower extremity Physiology Development Cells

Disease	Congenital Neoplasms and cancer Trauma fracture Other Symptoms and signs eponymous

Treatment	Procedures Drugs Surgery approaches