DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2016.v04i12.001

Pages: 1060-1069

The evolution of the human ear is a fascinating story of the formation and adaptation by trial and error of a primitive sound receptor. Human hearing is thus the end product of long and complex evolutionary steps, its primordium having first evolved from gill slits & jawbone of ancient fishes. Hearing is the most vital special sense organ to form the basis for communication by which civilization of the human race has taken place thus far. Knowing this evolutionary pathway will enable us to reason out the complex anatomy of human hearing in a better way. This review article is a synopsis from a number of scientific contributions in literature, which chronologically trace the origin & adaptations of the hearing apparatus from the era of fishes up to human life. It is paramount that the phylogeny & evolution of human hearing should be understood as it plays an important role in the understanding of the basis of congenital anomalies & inner ear pathophysiology. This knowledge will further help in propagation of evidence based clinical practice while managing various complex ear anomalies which we encounter in the present day.