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suboccipital muscles

A group of muscles located immediately below the occipital bone; they are: rectus capitis anterior muscle, rectus capitis posterior major and minor muscles, rectus capitis lateralis musculus, obliquus capitis superior and inferior muscles; innervated by suboccipital nerve; although actions are described, it is held by many authorities that these muscles act primarily as organs of proprioception.

Synonym: musculi suboccipitales.