Cervical Hypaxial Muscles

The longus colli is located on the ventral aspect of the cervical and first few thoracic vertebrae. The thoracic part originates from the ventral surface of the first six thoracic vertebrae and inserts on the platelike process of the sixth cervical vertebra. The cervical part originates by separate cervical vertebrae and inserts on the ventral parts of the bodies of more cranial cervical vertebrae near the midline (see Fig. 2.24B/9).

The longus capitis is a long flat muscle that lies on the lateral and ventral sides of the cervical vertebrae lateral to the longus colli. It arises from the transverse processes of the middle five cervical vertebrae and inserts on the occipital bone between the tympanic bullae.