Background and aim: The auricular cartilage plate contains multiple combinations of the fold and cave. We aimed to examine when and how the lower part of the concha (lower concha) communicated with the orifice of the external acoustic meatus (EAM) since this point was still unclear in our previous studies. Methods: We examined histological sagittal sections from 15 late-stage human fetuses (gestational age approximately 25-40 weeks; CRL 200-334 mm) as well as 8 midterm fetuses (11-16 weeks; CRL 60-125 mm). Results: At midterm, the concha was absent below the crus helix and a communication between the tragus and EAM cartilages was developing. At nearterm, although two specimens showed a delayed growth of helix, the tragus consistently continued to the upper, medial and/or posterior part of the EAM cartilages. The helix tail and antitragus were bar-like protrusions of the cartilage plate, respectively. Not only a framework cartilage of the lower concha but also the cartilaginous tragus and antitragus were often embedded in the subcutaneous tissue without external surface caves and grooves. Only three of 15 specimens carried a skin groove toward the concha loop. Conclusion: Growth of the external skin feature was much delayed when compared with the internal cartilage growth. In the external or lateral view at birth, a cave below the crus might not correspond to the final lower concha but simply the EAM orifice. A tragus connecting to the antitragus in fetuses seemed not controversial to the classical theory that they are derived from the different pharyngeal arches.