In
anatomy, a
nasal concha , plural
conchae , also called a
turbinate or
turbinal, is a long, narrow, curled shelf of
bone that protrudes into the breathing passage of the
nose in humans and various other animals. The conchae are shaped like an elongated
seashell, which gave them their name (Latin
concha from Greek
κόγχη). A turbinate bone is any of the scrolled spongy
bones of the
nasal passages in
vertebrates.