The piece of jewelry you see here is a little hard to categorize. It's called a saddle spreader, which is neither a tunnel, a plug, nor a hanger. Nor is it a taper at all. The closest is perhaps a tunnel, as you can see through it. However, this one is open at the top, which also has the advantage that you can use it even when your ear gauge is larger than the diameter of the jewelry. The edges of the spreader curl inwards, making them encircle your earlobe stretching. Thus, even if it's smaller than your gauge, the jewelry won't fall out. 

This saddle spreader is available in several sizes and three different colors. These are the only things to consider before buying it.