This group consists of eleven pairs of muscles which lie almost entirely
ventral to the vertebræ.
1. =Panniculus carnosus.=—The =cervical panniculus= (platysma myoides of
man) has a fleshy origin on the cariniform cartilage (manubrium) of the
sternum. it passes forward, outward, and upward, crossing over the
sterno-cephalicus and jugular furrow obliquely. On reaching the surface
of the mastoido-humeralis it adheres closely to this muscle, and soon
thins out, to be continued over the splenius and trapezius by an
aponeurosis which is difficult to remove from the latter muscle.
Scattered bundles may be traced on the ventral surface of the neck to
the facial portion. The right and left muscles meet at a ventral median
raphé in pennate fashion.
[Illustration: