The auricle is the external part of the ear. It is made of cartilage tissue covered with skin and functions as a funnel to collect and direct sound waves into the ear canal.
The cartilage of the auricle is highly folded, creating a characteristic relief with multiple ridges and depressions, each of which has a specific name. The outer rim is called the helix. Just inside the helix is a curved indentation called the scapha, which runs parallel to the helix. The next prominent ridge inward is the anthelix, which splits into two folds at its upper end: the superior and inferior roots of the anthelix. Between these roots lies a triangular depression called the triangular fossa.
The anthelix surrounds the concha, a deep hollow that represents the main central portion of the auricle. The concha is divided into two parts by an extension of the helix (the crus helicis): the upper cymba conchae and the lower cavum conchae, which leads into the external auditory canal. Two small protrusions are located near the concha. The tragus, a small anterior projection, is situated closer to the face, while the antitragus is located posteriorly. Between them lies a notch called the intertragic notch. Below the tragus is the earlobe, or lobule, which lacks cartilage and is composed of fatty tissue.
Another feature, Darwin's tubercle, is a small triangular bump on the helix. It is considered an atavistic remnant, representing the tip of a pointed mammalian ear.
The medial surface of the auricle is much less intricate than the lateral surface. Features such as the concha, triangular fossa, and scapha appear as protrusions on this side.
Autor: Janica Nolte, DocCheck, erstellt mit BioRender.com; lizenziert unter CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
