Canal between ears helps alligators pinpoint sound
Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 17:10
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Alligators can accurately pinpoint the source of sounds. But it wasn't clear exactly how they did it because they lack external auditory structures. A new study shows that the alligator's ear is strongly directional because of large, air-filled channels connecting the two middle ears. This configuration is similar in birds, which have an interaural canal that increases directionality.