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trunk, a repeating segmental pattern emerges. This common muscle pattern is present in the anterior and lateral muscles
of the neck, the thorax, the abdomen, and in a modifi ed form in the wall and fl oor of the pelvis. Each hypomere contributes
six basic muscles, per side, to the trunk wall. The six muscles are a ventral muscle, a series of four superfi cial to deep lateral
muscles, and a subvertebral muscle. This simple, eloquent design runs the entire length of the trunk. Understanding and
recognizing this pattern of design not only clarifi es trunk wall anatomy, but also helps simplify the task of learning the myriad
of hypaxial trunk muscles. These hypaxial trunk muscles are the fl exors and rotators of the vertebral column. They also support
the internal viscera of the abdomen and thorax and play important roles in respiration, vocalization, urination, and defecation.
The ventral (anterior) ramus of each spinal nerve supplies all of the hypaxial muscles. The hypaxial muscle pattern and the
muscles that form the pattern are summarized below. On the next two pages the pattern is clearly demonstrated.
Hypaxial Muscles
The hypaxial muscles develop from the hypomere of each somite’s
myotome and form the lateral and ventral muscle wall of the trunk. As
the hypomeres migrate to form the ventrolateral muscle wall of the
Hypaxial Muscle Pattern
Ventral musculature
Four-layered lateral musculature
Supracostal or outermost muscle layer
External muscle layer
Middle muscle layer
Internal muscle layer
Subvertebral musculature
Lumbar Hypaxial Muscles
Ventral musculature
Rectus abdominis muscle
Pyramidalis muscle
Four-layered lateral musculature
Supracostal layer
External oblique muscle - superficial lamina
External layer
External oblique muscle - deep lamina
Middle layer
Internal oblique muscle
Cremaster muscle
Intertransversarii laterales lumborum muscle - dorsal part
Internal layer
Transversus abdominis muscle
Quadratus lumborum muscle
Intertransversarii laterales lumborum muscle - ventral part
Subvertebral musculature
Psoas major muscle (annexed by the limb)
Psoas minor muscle
Pelvis/Perineal Hypaxial Muscles
Ventral musculature
Not present as it terminates on the pubic crest
Four-layered lateral musculature
Supracostal layer
Not present
External layer
Obturator externus muscle (annexed by the limb)
Bulbospongiosus muscle
Ischiocavernosus muscle
Superficial transverse perinei muscle
Superficial external anal sphincter
Middle layer
Obturator internus muscle (annexed by the limb)
Deep transverse perinei - male
Compressor urethrae - female
Sphincter urethrovaginalis -female
External urethral sphincter
Deep external anal sphincter
Internal layer
Levator ani muscle
Ischiococcygeus muscle
Subvertebral musculature
Not present as psoas is annexed by the limb
Cervical Hypaxial Muscles
Ventral musculature
Geniohyoid muscle
Thyrohyoid muscle
Superior omohyoid muscle
Inferior omohyoid muscle
Sternothyroid muscle
Sternohyoid muscle
Four-layered lateral musculature
Supracostal layer
Levator scapulae muscle
External layer
Posterior scalene muscle
Middle layer
Middle scalene muscle
Lateral posterior cervical intertransversarii muscle
Internal layer
Anterior scalene muscle
Anterior cervical intertransversarii muscle
Subvertebral musculature
Longus capitis muscle
Longus colli muscle
Thoracic Hypaxial Muscles
Ventral musculature
Sternalis muscle (present in about 10% of people)
Four-layered lateral musculature
Supracostal layer
Serratus posterior superior muscle
Serratus posterior inferior muscle
Rhomboideus major muscle (annexed by the limb)
Rhomboideus minor muscle (annexed by the limb)
Serratus anterior muscle (annexed by the limb)
External layer
External intercostal muscle
Middle layer
Internal intercostal muscle
Internal layer
Innermost intercostal muscle
Subcostal muscle
Transversus thoracis muscle
Diaphragm
Subvertebral musculature
Longus capitis muscle
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