earlobe
Sign in to saveAlso known as ear lap, ear lobe, lobule of auricle, Sullivan, Lobulus auriculae
The human earlobe (lobulus auriculae), the lower portion of the outer ear, is composed of tough areolar and adipose connective tissues, lacking the firmness and elasticity of the rest of the auricle (the external structure of the ear). In some cases the lower lobe is connected to the side of the face. Since the earlobe does not contain cartilage it has a large blood supply and may help to warm the ears. However, earlobes are not generally considered to have any major biological function. The earlobe contains many nerve endings, and for some people is an erogenous zone.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Earlobe
- Anatomy.Latin
- lobulus auriculae (singular), lobuli auricularum (plural) <!--
- Anatomy.French
- lobe d'oreille -->
- Anatomy.Image
- Gray904.png
- Anatomy.Width
- 120
- Anatomy.System
- Auditory system
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- TattooedAttachedEarlobe.png
via Wikidata · CC0
~8 min read
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Organogenesis
- Genetics
- Clinical issues
- Society and culture
- Earlobe piercing and stretching
- Negative effects of wearing earrings
- References
- Further reading
The human earlobe (lobulus auriculae), the lower portion of the outer ear, is composed of tough areolar and adipose connective tissues, lacking the firmness and elasticity of the rest of the auricle (the external structure of the ear). In some cases the lower lobe is connected to the side of the face. Since the earlobe does not contain cartilage it has a large blood supply and may help to warm the ears. However, earlobes are not generally considered to have any major biological function. The earlobe contains many nerve endings, and for some people is an erogenous zone.
The zoologist Desmond Morris in his book The Naked Ape (1967) conjectured that the lobes developed as an additional erogenous zone to facilitate the extended sexuality necessary in the evolution of human monogamous pair bonding.