When naming muscles, they, in general, are named according to one or more of the following criteria:
1. Muscle size
2. Muscle shape
3. Location of the muscle
4. Orientation of the muscle's fascicles (fascicles are part of the muscle's tissue)
5. Muscle origin and insertion (origin = the point where the muscle's tendon attaches to the stationary bone; insertion = the point where the muscle's tendon attaches to the movable bone)
6. Number of heads (origins) on the muscle
7. Muscle function.
Knowing these seven criteria will help us to remember the names of the muscles. Now in my Anatomy\Physiology text book, I've read up to the 'major muscles of the head' and the 'major muscles of the chest\abdominal wall'. Right now I'll walk through the former.
The Major Muscles of the Head
First I'll introduce to you the occipitofrontalis (ok' sip ih toh fun' tay lis), which can be broken down into the frontalis (frun' tay lis) and the occipitalis (ok sip ih tay lis). These muscles are easy to remember because they're placed above the frontal bone (forehead) and the occipital bone (bottom of the back of the head). What do these muscles do? Their job is to elevate the eyebrows and wrinkle the forehead.
Next: the orbicularis (or bik' you lay' ris) oculi (ok' you lie). This muscle formes a circle around each eye. It is used to close the eye. Similar in name is the orbicularis oris (or' is), which surrounds the lips and is used to purse them.
The buccinator (buk' sih nay' tor), or cheek muscle, is used when you fill your mouth with water and then squirt it out. This muscle puffs up the cheek and also pulls on the corner of the mouth. The buccinator and the orbicularis oris are often called the 'kissing muscles'.
Zygomaticus (zye' goh mat' ih kus) major is another easy one to locate because it is over the zygomatic bone, which is commonly referred to as the cheek bone. Zygomaticus major elevates and draws the corner of the mouth laterally; zygomaticus minor elevates the upper lip. When you smile you're using these two muscles.
Platysma (pluh tiz' muh) pulls the corners of the mouth down into a frown. This muscle stretches from the mouth down the front of the neck.
The rest of the muscles we'll be discussing control mastication (the process of chewing). The temporalis (tem' puh ral' is), located on top of the temporal bone on the side of the head above the ear, elevates the mandible. It can alo pull the jaw inward, or recract the mandible. The masseter (ma' sih ter) is on the side of the face, and it also elevates the mandible. It can also protract the mandible, or push the lower jaw forward. The lateral pterygoid (ter' ih goyd) depresses (lowers) the mandible, which opens the mouth. Finally, the medial pterigoid elevates the mandible (along with the masseter and temporalis), which closes the mouth.
I encourage you to look up a picture on the Internet of the major muscles of the head. I might add a picture here some time, but right now I can't because I have to get back to school. :x haha, it's okay, though! I'm home schooled, and this is sorta like a paper for school. :P
*The information displayed here is taken from 'The Human Body, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made' by Apologia and authored by Dr. Jay L. Wile and Marilyn M. Shannon.
