In mammals including humans, the medial surface of the greater trochanter has at its base a deep depression bounded posteriorly by the intertrochanteric crest, called the trochanteric fossa.

The width and depth of the trochanteric fossa varies taxonomically.

[3] In these taxa, the trochanteric fossa is the insertion point for the puboischiofemoralis externus muscle.

[3] Often, the intertrochanteric fossa is small and shallow due to the expansion of the two trochanters.

It is bounded medially by the internal/lesser trochanter and anterior branch of the ventral femoral ridge, and often less distinctly bounded laterally as the greater trochanter and posterior branch of the ventral ridge are highly reduced or absent.