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temporalis muscle
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Illustration of the human muscular system from a side view, showing detailed muscles throughout the body with labels identifying major muscles in the head, torso, arms, and legs.
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temporalis muscle

anatomy
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Illustration of the human muscular system from a side view, showing detailed muscles throughout the body with labels identifying major muscles in the head, torso, arms, and legs.
Human muscular system Lateral view of the human muscular system.

The temporalis muscle is a significant jaw adductor in mammals, primarily responsible for closing the jaw. It is one of the muscles divided from the reptilian temporalis. In mammals, it is further divided into the temporalis proper and the superficial masseter muscle.1

The temporalis muscle attaches to the coronoid process of the mandible (lower jaw) and the temporal bone of the skull. The masseter muscle, which is also involved in chewing, originates from the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) and inserts at the rear of the mandible. The masseter allows for forward-backward jaw movement and is particularly developed in animals that grind their food, such as rodents.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. masseter
  2. mammal - Muscles

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