Posterior auricular nerve

The posterior auricular nerve arises from the facial nerve close to the stylomastoid foramen and runs upward in front of the mastoid process; here it is joined by a filament from the auricular branch of the vagus and communicates with the posterior branch of the great auricular as well as with the lesser occipital.

Posterior Auricular Nerve
Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves. (Post. auricular br. labeled at bottom left.)
The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck. (Post. auricular visible near center, behind ear.)
Details
From	facial nerve
Innervates	posterior auricular muscle, occipitalis muscle (posterior part of occipitofrontalis)
Identifiers
Latin	n. auricularis posterior
TA	A14.2.01.102
FMA	53278
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

As it ascends between the external acoustic meatus and mastoid process it divides into auricular and occipital branches.

• The auricular branch supplies the auricularis posterior and the intrinsic muscles on the cranial surface of the auricula.
• The occipital branch, the larger, passes backward along the superior nuchal line of the occipital bone and supplies the occipitalis.