Editing Outer ear (section)

===Auricular muscles===

====Intrinsic muscles====
{{Infobox muscle
| Name        = Intrinsic muscles of external ear
| Latin       =
| Image       = Gray906.png
| Caption     = The muscles of the [[pinna (anatomy)|auricula]]
| Image2      =
| Caption2    =
| Origin      =
| Insertion   =
| Blood       =
| Nerve       = [[Facial nerve]]
| Action      = Undeveloped in humans
| Antagonist  =
}}
The '''intrinsic auricular muscles''' are:
* The [[helicis major]] is a narrow vertical band situated upon the anterior margin of the [[helix (ear)|helix]]. It arises below, from the [[spina helicis]], and is inserted into the anterior border of the helix, just where it is about to curve backward.
* The [[helicis minor]] is an oblique [[Muscle fascicle|fasciculus]], covering the [[crus helicis]].
* The [[tragicus]] is a short, flattened vertical band on the lateral surface of the [[tragus (ear)|tragus]]. Also known as the mini lobe.
* The [[antitragicus]] arises from the outer part of the antitragus, and is inserted into the [[cauda helicis]] and [[antihelix]].
* The [[Transverse muscle of auricle|transverse muscle]] is placed on the cranial surface of the [[pinna (anatomy)|pinna]]. It consists of scattered fibers, partly tendinous and partly muscular, extending from the [[eminentia conchae]] to the prominence corresponding with the [[scapha]].
* The [[Oblique muscle of auricle|oblique muscle]] also on the cranial surface, consists of a few fibers extending from the upper and back part of the [[Pinna (anatomy)|concha]] to the convexity immediately above it.

The intrinsic muscles contribute to the topography of the auricle, while also function as a sphincter of the external auditory meatus. It has been suggested that during prenatal development in the womb, these muscles exert forces on the cartilage which in turn affects the shaping of the ear.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Liugan |first1=Mikee |last2=Zhang |first2=Ming |last3=Cakmak |first3=Yusuf Ozgur |date=2018 |title=Neuroprosthetics for Auricular Muscles: Neural Networks and Clinical Aspects |journal=Frontiers in Neurology |volume=8 |page=752 |doi=10.3389/fneur.2017.00752 |pmid=29387041 |pmc=5775970 |issn=1664-2295 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

====Extrinsic muscles====
{{Infobox muscle
| Name        = Auricular muscles
| Latin       = musculi auriculares
| Image       = Gray906.png
| Caption     = The muscles of the [[Pinna (anatomy)|pinna]]
| Image2      = Gray378.png
| Caption2    = Auricular muscles in context with the other [[facial muscles]]
| Origin      = [[Galeal aponeurosis]]
| Insertion   = Front of the [[helix (ear)|helix]], [[Human cranium|cranial]] surface of the [[pinna (anatomy)|pinna]]
| Blood       = [[Posterior auricular artery]]
| Nerve       = [[Facial nerve]]
| Action      = Subtle auricle movements (forwards, backwards and upwards)
}}

The '''extrinsic auricular muscles''' are the three [[muscle]]s surrounding the ''[[Pinna (anatomy)|auricula]]'' or outer ear:
* [[anterior auricular muscle]]
* [[superior auricular muscle]]
* [[posterior auricular muscle]]

The superior muscle is the largest of the three, followed by the posterior and the anterior.

In some mammals these muscles can adjust the direction of the pinna. In humans these muscles possess very little action.
The auricularis anterior draws the auricula forward and upward, the auricularis superior slightly raises it, and the auricularis posterior draws it backward. The superior auricular muscle also acts as a stabilizer of the [[occipitofrontalis muscle]] and as a weak brow lifter.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chon |first1=Brian H. |last2=Blandford |first2=Alex D. |last3=Hwang |first3=Catherine J. |last4=Petkovsek |first4=Daniel |last5=Zheng |first5=Andrew |last6=Zhao |first6=Carrie |last7=Cao |first7=Jessica |last8=Grissom |first8=Nick |last9=Perry |first9=Julian D. |date=February 2021 |title=Dimensions, Function and Applications of the Auricular Muscle in Facial Plastic Surgery |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33258010/ |journal=Aesthetic Plastic Surgery |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=309–314 |doi=10.1007/s00266-020-02045-x |issn=1432-5241 |pmid=33258010|s2cid=227236615 }}</ref> The presence of auriculomotor activity in the posterior auricular muscle causes the muscle to contract and cause the pinna to be pulled backwards and flatten when exposed to sudden, surprising sounds.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Strauss |first1=Daniel J |last2=Corona-Strauss |first2=Farah I |last3=Schroeer |first3=Andreas |last4=Flotho |first4=Philipp |last5=Hannemann |first5=Ronny |last6=Hackley |first6=Steven A |date=2020-07-03 |editor-last=Groh |editor-first=Jennifer M |editor2-last=Shinn-Cunningham |editor2-first=Barbara G |editor3-last=Verhulst |editor3-first=Sarah |editor4-last=Shera |editor4-first=Christopher |editor5-last=Corneil |editor5-first=Brian D |title=Vestigial auriculomotor activity indicates the direction of auditory attention in humans |journal=eLife |volume=9 |pages=e54536 |doi=10.7554/eLife.54536 |pmid=32618268 |issn=2050-084X|pmc=7334025 |doi-access=free }}</ref>