[TA] arises as a branch of the cervical plexus, conveying fibers from the ventral primary rami of the second and third cervical spinal nerves; supplies the skin of part of the auricle, adjacent portion of the scalp, and that overlying the angle of the jaw; it also innervates the parotid sheath, conveying from it the pain fibers stimulated by stretching of the sheath during parotitis (mumps). SYN: nervus auricularis magnus [TA].
