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Hypoglossal canal: magnified reference view with a numbered learning marker. The complete original plate is available in the next view.
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Hypoglossal canal

Small canal in occipital bone near the foramen magnum. Situated superior to the occipital condyle. Distinct from the jugular foramen.

Zoom in, then drag to inspect. Keyboard: + / − to zoom, arrows to pan, 0 to reset. Tap the numbered markers to explore parts.

Hypoglossal canal: magnified reference view with a numbered learning marker. The complete original plate is available in the next view.

Image: OpenStax College / university open textbook · Source / original · CC BY 4.0

Numbered markers and focused views are Mediveerse learning overlays; the original reference is linked above.

Hypoglossal canal

Foramina & canals

Hypoglossal canal

STRUCTURE & FUNCTION

Understand what you see.

Small canal in occipital bone near the foramen magnum.

Zoom into the original labels. Practise pointing out each structure, then explain it aloud. Diagrams are teaching references; specimen appearance and slide staining vary.

01 / IDENTIFICATION

How to recognise it.

  1. Small canal in occipital bone near the foramen magnum
  2. Situated superior to the occipital condyle
  3. Distinct from the jugular foramen
02 / KEY STRUCTURES

Point them out.

Tap a number to open its reference, zoom in and locate the structure. Numbers stay the same across views. This key follows landmarks visible in the reference images.

Related features & study points (2)

Additional relations, attachments or microscopic details to revise alongside this plate. These are separate from its numbered image landmarks.

  • Occipital condyle
  • Hypoglossal nerve
03 / VIVA PRACTICE

Think first. Then reveal.

Say your answer aloud before opening the suggested response.

Examiner-style prompts: identify the structure, explain its relations, then answer the applied follow-up. These are revision questions, not authenticated past papers.

01Identify hypoglossal canal and justify your identification.
SUGGESTED ANSWER

Small canal in occipital bone near the foramen magnum. Situated superior to the occipital condyle. Distinct from the jugular foramen.

02Which nerve traverses it?
SUGGESTED ANSWER

Hypoglossal nerve XII.

03What happens to tongue protrusion with a lower motor neuron XII lesion?
SUGGESTED ANSWER

The protruded tongue deviates toward the weak side because of unopposed action of the opposite genioglossus.

Read the references.

Credited anatomical plates, microscopy and university teaching references. Individual image credits appear below the viewer. Historical plates can use older terminology; use the lesson text for current names.