Stylohyoid muscle greater cornu, and just superior the omohyoid muscle. It thus belongs to the group of suprahyoid muscles. When contracted, it elevates the hyoid, this action is primarily brought about during swallowing. It is perforated, near its insertion, by the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle. A branch from the extracranial path of the facial nerve (CN VII) innervates the Stylohyoid muscle. It may be absent or doubled, lie beneath the carotid artery, or be inserted into the omohyoid, or mylohyoid muscles. The stylohyoid muscle elevates and retracts hyoid bone.Initiates a swallowing action by pulling the hyoid bone in a posterior
Anatomical terms of muscle set of fibers that perform the same function, and are usually supplied by different nerves for different set of fibers. For example, the tongue itself is a composite muscle made up of various components like longitudinal, transverse, horizontal muscles with different parts innervated having different nerve supply. The "insertion" and "origin" of a muscle are the two places where it is anchored, one at each end. The tissue of the attachment is called an "enthesis". The "origin" of a muscle is the bone, typically proximal, which has greater mass and is more stable during a contraction than a muscle's insertion.