Auricular muscles- Present in humans just around our ears and shaped striated to control the movement of external ears.


Auricular muscles
Auricular muscles



•The leading cause for these muscles yet known was to control the external ears for enhanced grasping of sound. Since, people lived in forests and open areas they usually had to be attentive and aware of the surroundings. 

•The dangers outside were wild animals, a bit of movement could trigger their auricular muscles to move in the direction of sound and prepare themselves from any harm possible.

•The auricular muscles are a group of small muscles located in and around the ear. These muscles include the anterior, superior, and posterior auricular muscles, and their primary function is to move the ear in various directions. 

•The anterior auricular muscle is located on the front of the ear and helps to pull the ear forward. The superior auricular muscle is located on top of the ear and helps to pull the ear upward. The posterior auricular muscle is located behind the ear and helps to pull the ear backward. 

•While these muscles may not serve a critical function in humans, they are present in many mammals and are believed to play a role in the movement and positioning of the ears for communication, expression, and hearing. 

•In some animals, such as cats and dogs, the auricular muscles are highly developed and can move the ears independently to help detect sounds and signals from different directions. 

•In humans, the auricular muscles are typically not well developed or used frequently, although some people may be able to voluntarily move their ears slightly using these muscles. This phenomenon is known as atavism( tendency to gain ancestral gene).