The styloglossus is a small and short muscle. One is located on each side of the tongue. The muscles link the sides of the tongue to the base of the skull via the bony styloid process, extending downward from the temporal bones. Contraction of these two muscles pulls the tongue back and up. The genioglossus, the styloglossus, the palatoglossus and the hyoglossus work together to move the tongue. Research Styloglossus