The
human earlobe is composed of tough
areolar and
adipose connective tissues, lacking the firmness and elasticity of the rest of the
auricle (the external structure of the ear). In some cases the lower lobe is connected to the side of the face. Since the earlobe does not contain
cartilage it has a large
blood supply and may help to warm the ears and maintain balance. The zoologist
Desmond Morris in his book
The Naked Ape (1967) conjectured that the lobes developed as an additional erogenous zone to facilitate the extended sexuality necessary in the evolution of human monogamous pair bonding. However, earlobes are not generally considered to have any major biological function. The earlobe contains many
nerve endings, and for some people is an
erogenous zone.