sentences:  It is believed that these muscles can contract to dampen the vibration of the ossicles, in order to protect the inner ear from excessively loud noise (theory 1) and that they give better frequency resolution at higher frequencies by reducing the transmission of low frequencies (theory 2) (see acoustic reflex).These muscles are more highly developed in bats and serve to block outgoing cries of the bats during echolocation (SONAR).Occasionally the joints between the ossicles become rigid.