levator palatoquadrati muscle

anatomy

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The levator palatoquadrati muscle is a muscle that elevates the upper jaw. This muscle is retained in birds and some reptiles, allowing them to move their upper jaw, similar to how jawed fishes can.1

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muscle
Tetrapod musculature
The levator palatoquadrati, which elevates the upper jaw in jawed fishes, is retained as a jaw muscle in birds and in some reptiles, as they share the ability of fishes to move the upper jaw. The adductor mandibulae is much altered in tetrapods, although its overall…
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The levator palatoquadrati, which elevates the upper jaw in jawed fishes, is retained as a jaw muscle in birds and in some reptiles, as they share the ability of fishes to move the upper jaw. The adductor mandibulae is much altered in tetrapods, although its overall…
Read More