Branchiomeric muscles are striated muscles of the head and neck. Unlike skeletal muscles that developmentally come from somites, branchiomeric muscles are developmentally formed from the branchial arches.
Most of the skeletal musculature supplied by the cranial nerves (special visceral efferent) is branchiomeric. Exceptions include, but are not limited to, the extraocular muscles and some of the muscles of the tongue. These exceptions receive general somatic efferent innervation.