Corpus: Tubal protuberance

The torus tubarius is a mucosal protrusion in the lateral part of the nasopharynx, which surrounds the dorsal and cranial arch of the mouth of the auditory tube.

The torus tubarius is raised by the cartilage of the auditory tube. Two small folds can be seen running caudally below the torus tubarius:

• the plica salpingopharyngea, which contains fibres of the salpingopharyngeus muscle,
• the plica salpingopalatina

At the lower edge of the tubal ostium there is a second mucosal bulge, the torus levatorius, which is raised by the levator veli palatini muscle. The glandula tubaria lies on the torus tubarius.