Description
The temporal fossa is the large, shallow depression found along the lateral aspect of the cranium. It is formed by the frontal, parietal, temporal, sphenoid and zygomatic bones and is an area that is bounded:
- anteroinferiorly, by both the zygomatic arch and the frontal process of the zygomatic bone;
- anterosuperiorly, by the temporal line of the frontal bone;
- posterosuperiorly, by the inferior temporal line of the parietal bone;
- posteroinferiorly, by the supramastoid crest of the temporal bone.
The temporal fossa is continuous inferiorly with the infratemporal fossa, consists of the pterion, and provides an origin site for the temporalis muscle.
