[1] Part of the carotid artery system, it originates from the dorsal branch of aortic arch.
Its trunk atrophies and is replaced by branches from the external carotid artery.
[1] While the prevalence of this anomaly is unknown, it has been estimated to be present in 1 of 5,000 people.
[3] Structures homologous to the stapedial artery in humans and other primates can be derived from a primitive, hypothetical pattern similar to that found in primitive rodents: the stapedial artery enters the middle cranial fossa and splits into the anterior and inferior divisions of the superior ramus and the inferior ramus.
The inferior ramus has been lost in strepsirhines while the stem of the stapedial artery has been reduced in haplorhines.