broad, flat tendinous portion of the internal abdominal oblique muscle. The fleshy fibers of the muscle end in the aponeurosis lateral to the semilunar line. The uppermost portion of the aponeurosis is attached to the outer surfaces and lower borders of the seventh to ninth costal cartilages. Of the portion extending between the costoxiphoid margin and the pubis, the upper two-thirds splits into anterior and posterior laminae at the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle to contribute to the anterior and posterior walls of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle as they extend to the midline linea alba. The lower third of the aponeurosis does not split but joins the aponeuroses of the external abdominal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles to form the anterior wall of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle. The fibers of the portion of the aponeurosis contributing to the rectus sheath decussate with those of the contralateral aponeurosis in the linea alba. The lowermost portion of the aponeurosis blends with the aponeurosis of the transversus abdominis muscle to form the conjoint tendon, attaching to the pubic crest and often the pecten pubis, thus forming the posterior wall of the inguinal canal at the superficial inguinal ring. See Also: cremasteric fascia, conjoint tendon, rectus sheath.