Malleus

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Bone: Malleus
Left malleus. A. From behind. B. From within.
The right membrana tympani with the hammer and the chorda tympani, viewed from within, from behind, and from above. (Malleus visible at center.)
Malleus Tensor Tympani Incus Stapedius Labyrinth Stapes Auditory Canal Tympanic Membrane (Ear Drum) Eustachian Tube Tympanic cavity
Bones and muscles in the tympanic cavity in the middle ear
Gray's	subject #231 1044
Precursor	1st branchial arch[1]
MeSH	Malleus

The malleus or hammer is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear which connects with the incus and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin, and means 'hammer'.

It transmits the sound vibrations from the eardrum to the incus.

The malleus is unique to mammals, and evolved from a lower jaw bone in basal amniotes called the articular, which still forms part of the jaw joint in reptiles.

[edit] Additional images

Ossicles

Head and neck of a human embryo eighteen weeks old, with Meckel’s cartilage and hyoid bar exposed.

External and middle ear, opened from the front. Right side.

Chain of ossicles and their ligaments, seen from the front in a vertical, transverse section of the tympanum.

[edit] See also

• Bone terminology
• Terms for anatomical location

[edit] References

1. ^ Embryology at UNC hednk-023

v • d • e Sensory system: Auditory system

Outer ear: Pinna (Helix, Antihelix, Tragus, Antitragus, Earlobe) - Ear canal Middle ear: Eardrum - Ossicles (Malleus, Incus & Stapes) - Stapedius - Tensor tympani - Eustachian tube (Torus tubarius) Inner ear/Labyrinth: Bony labyrinth - Membranous labyrinth - Cochlea (Cochlear duct, Scala vestibuli, Scala media & Scala tympani) - Oval window - Helicotrema - Round window - Basilar membrane - Reissner's membrane - Organ of Corti - Hair cells - Stereocilia - Sulcus spiralis externus - Sulcus spiralis internus - Tectorial membrane - Vestibule Brain: Cochlear nerve VIII → Cochlear nuclei → Superior olivary nuclei → Lateral lemniscus → Inferior colliculi → Medial geniculate nuclei → Primary auditory cortex

v • d • e Bones

VERTEBRAL COLUMN: vertebrae (cervical C1 C2 C7 - thoracic - lumbar) - sacrum - coccyx THORAX: sternum - rib cranial bones of SKULL: occipital - parietal - frontal - temporal - sphenoid - ethmoid facial bones of SKULL nasal - maxilla - lacrimal - zygomatic - palatine - inferior nasal conchae - vomer - mandible - hyoid (greater cornu, lesser cornu, body) UPPER EXTREMITY: clavicle - scapula - humerus - ulna - radius carpals (scaphoid - lunate bone - triquetral - pisiform - trapezium - trapezoid - capitate - hamate) - metacarpals - phalanges (prox - int - dist) LOWER EXTREMITY: pelvis (ilium, ischium, pubis) - femur - patella - fibula - tibia tarsals (calcaneus - talus - navicular - cuneiform - cuboid ) - metatarsals - phalanges (prox - int - dist) OSSICLES: malleus - incus - stapes