The stapes is then attached to the inner ear, where the sound waves will be transduced into a neural signal. The incus, in turn, articulates with the stapes.
The malleus is attached to the tympanic membrane and articulates with the incus. The three ossicles are the malleus, incus, and stapes, which are Latin names that roughly translate to hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
The middle ear consists of a space spanned by three small bones called the ossicles. The auricle, ear canal, and tympanic membrane are often referred to as the external ear. At the end of the auditory canal is the tympanic membrane, or ear drum, which vibrates after it is struck by sound waves. The canal enters the skull through the external auditory meatus of the temporal bone. The C-shaped curves of the auricle direct sound waves toward the auditory canal, also called ear canal. Some sources will also refer to this structure as the pinna, though that term is more appropriate for a structure that can be moved, such as the external ear of a cat.
The large, fleshy structure on the lateral aspect of the head is known as the auricle.
