Occipital condyle

Occipital condyle
Occipital condyle
Gray129.png
Occipital bone. Outer surface. (Condyle for artic. with atlas labeled at lower left.)
Latin condylus occipitalis
Gray's subject #31 131

The occipital condyles are undersurface facets of the occipital bone in vertebrates, which function in articulation with the superior facets of the atlas vertebra.

The condyles are oval or reniform (kidney-shaped) in shape, and their anterior extremities, directed forward and medialward, are closer together than their posterior, and encroach on the basilar portion of the bone; the posterior extremities extend back to the level of the middle of the foramen magnum.

The articular surfaces of the condyles are convex from before backward and from side to side, and look downward and lateralward.

To their margins are attached the capsules of the atlantoöccipital articulations, and on the medial side of each is a rough impression or tubercle for the alar ligament.

At the base of either condyle the bone is tunnelled by a short canal, the hypoglossal canal.

Additional images

External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • occipital condyle — n an articular surface on the occipital bone on each side of the foramen magnum by which the skull articulates with the atlas * * * condylus occipitalis …   Medical dictionary

  • occipital condyle — noun Date: circa 1860 an articular surface on the occipital bone by which the skull articulates with the atlas …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • occipital condyle — the portion of the occipital bone which articulates with the first vertebra (atlas) …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • occipital condyle — Anat. a protrusion on the occipital bone of the skull that forms a joint with the first cervical vertebra, enabling the head to move relative to the neck. [1855 60] * * * …   Universalium

  • occipital condyle — noun 1. : an articular surface on the occipital bone by which the skull articulates with the atlas 2. : a projection of the border of the postocciput of the insect head to which the lateral neck plates articulate …   Useful english dictionary

  • Condyle — may refer to: Condyle (anatomy) The occipital condyle, which are the undersurface facets of the occipital bone. The lateral condyle of femur and lateral condyle of tibia. The medial condyle of femur and medial condyle of tibia. In the fruits of… …   Wikipedia

  • Occipital — The word occipital, in zoology, pertains to the occiput (rear of the skull).[1] Occipital is a descriptor for several areas of animal human anatomy. External occipital protuberance Internal occipital crest Greater occipital nerve Lesser occipital …   Wikipedia

  • condyle — the articulating, rounded surface of a bone, e.g. the occipital condyle is the surface of the skull articulating with the atlas vertebra …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • condyle — [ kɔ̃dil ] n. m. • 1539; lat. condylus, gr. kondulos « articulation » ♦ Anat. Saillie articulaire arrondie d un os ou d un appendice (⇒ glénoïde). Condyle huméral, fémoral. Adj. CONDYLIEN, IENNE . ● condyle nom masculin Portion osseuse, en forme… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Occipital bone — Bone: Occipital bone Sagittal section of skull. (Occipital bone is at right, in blue.) …   Wikipedia

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