One of the suprahyoid group of muscles consisting of two bellies united by a central tendon which is connected to the body of the hyoid bone; origin, by posterior belly from the digastric groove medial to the mastoid process; insertion, by anterior belly into lower border of mandible near midline; action, elevates the hyoid when mandible is fixed; depresses the mandible when hyoid is fixed; nerve supply, posterior belly from facial, anterior belly by nerve to the mylohyoid from the mandibular division of trigeminal, a muscle with two fleshy bellies separated by a fibrous insertion.
Synonym: musculus digastricus, biventer mandibulae, musculus biventer mandibulae, two-bellied muscle.
(05 Mar 2000)