This strange object is sometimes found on the beach and brought in to search & discover for identification. It is one of the three bones found in a whale's inner ear.
Unlike humans, the bones in a whale's inner ear are not embedded in the skull. They are connected to the skull by slender ligaments. This is because the whale's hearing is adapted for underwater, where sound travels much faster. They 'hear' vibrations in the water through the bones of the skull. These vibrations pass directly to the mucus surrounding the inner ear. The mucus insulates the inner ear from the sound waves, which are then channelled via a small thread or tube of tissue to the ear. This allows the whale to hear sound vibrations in the same way as we would, despite the pressure of the water.
Autumn 2003
An Australian Museum Website
Copyright © Australian Museum 2003
