All the following are branches of Facial nerve below Stylomastoid foramen except
High-Yield Explanation
Facial Nerve/Cranial Nerve VIIIt is called facial nerve as this nerve supplies all the muscles of facial expression developed from 2nd pharyngeal/branchial archThe facial nerve leaves the skull by passing through the stylomastoid foramenBranches:A. Within the facial canal: (1) Greater_petrosal nerve (2) the nerve to the stapedius; and (3) the chorda tympani. B. At its exit from the stylomastoid foramen: (1) Posterior auricular; (2) digastric; and (3) stylohyoid.C. Terminal branches within the parotid gland: (1) Temporal; (2) zygomatic; (3) buccal; (4) marginal mandibular; and (5) cervical.D. Communicating branches with adjacent cranial and spinal nerves.Reference: Chaurasia Head and Neck; 6th edition; Appendix 1