Abstract
FEW problems in morphology have aroused more interest than that of the origin of the ear ossicles. It is a familiar fact that the Mammalia differ from all other gnathostomes in having a chain of three ossicles (stapes, incus, and malleus) serving to convey vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the labyrinth lodged in the auditory capsule. The other tetrapods (reptiles, birds, and amphibians) have only one ossicle, the stapes (columella auris). The other gnathostomes (fishes) have no functioning ear ossicles.
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BERTMAR, G. Homology of Ear Ossicles. Nature 193, 393–394 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/193393a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/193393a0
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