Inner-ear structure in vertebrates which detects acceleration
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Otolith
Otolith organs showing detail of utricle, otoconia, endolymph, cupula, macula, hair cell filaments, and saccular nerve
Juvenile herring. Length 30 mm; 3 months old; still transparent; the otoliths are visible left of the eye.
Details
Identifiers
Latin
statoconium
TA98
A15.3.03.086
FMA
77826
Anatomical terminology
[edit on Wikidata]
An otolith (Greek: ὠτο-, ōto- ear + λῐ́θος, líthos, a stone), also called statoconium or otoconium or statolith, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The saccule and utricle, in turn, together make the otolith organs. These organs are what allows an organism, including humans, to perceive linear acceleration, both horizontally and vertically (gravity). They have been identified in both extinct and extant vertebrates.[1]
Counting the annual growth rings on the otoliths is a common technique in estimating the age of fish.[2]
^Sahney, Sarda; Wilson, Mark V. H. (2001). "Extrinsic labyrinth infillings imply open endolymphatic ducts in Lower Devonian osteostracans, acanthodians, and putative chondrichthyans". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 21 (4): 660–669. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0660:ELIIOE]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86182956.
^Gordon, D.P. (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-72-8.
An otolith (Greek: ὠτο-, ōto- ear + λῐ́θος, líthos, a stone), also called statoconium or otoconium or statolith, is a calcium carbonate structure in the...
The Orbiting Frog Otolith (OFO) was a NASA space program which sent two bullfrogs into orbit on November 9, 1970, for the study of weightlessness. The...
Otolith microchemical analysis is a technique used in fisheries management and fisheries biology to delineate stocks and characterize movements, and natal...
work on fisheries, otoliths and sharks. His publications include more than 200 journal articles along with six books including Otolith Microstructure Examination...
Adventures in Sonic Fiction and his association with the art collective The Otolith Group. He currently teaches on the MA in Contemporary Art Theory in the...
commonly used techniques involve counting natural growth rings on the scales, otoliths, vertebrae, fin spines, eye lenses, teeth, or bones of the jaw, pectoral...
with a bag with an otolith (sacculum containing the otolith sagitta), itself communicating to the lagena (containing the otolith asteriscus), is in fact...
be examined by analysing these otolith records. The earliest unambiguous fossil lanternfish are known based on otoliths from the late Paleocene and early...
Stimulation of the otolith organs occurs when gravitational forces or linear accelerations cause movement of the otolith membrane, the otoliths, or the hair...
of the lake. Miyata et al. (2024) describe an assemblage of marine fish otoliths from the Lower Cretaceous Kimigahama Formation (Japan), including the oldest...
crustaceans and small fish. The earliest known fossils of this group are otoliths from the Campanian of the United States. A number of articulated specimens...
can grow to 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) total length. Giant grenadier have two otolith shapes that have been observed to date, and there is a third shape that...
Averjanov, Nesov & Udovichenko 1993 Genus †Albulidarum [Otolith] Genus †Albuloideorum [Otolith] Genus †Brannerion Jordan 1920 Genus †Bullichthys Mayrinck...
R. S.; Prasad, G. V. R. (2008). "Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian fish otoliths from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds, India: a revision". Bulletin de l'Institut...
the semicircular canals, which indicate rotational movements; and the otoliths, which indicate linear accelerations. The vestibular system sends signals...
specialized organs in the inner ear. Linear accelerations are detected by the otolith organs, while angular accelerations are detected by the semicircular canals...
membrane is part of the otolith organs in the vestibular system. The otolith organs include the utricle and the saccule. The otolith organs are beds of sensory...
the unique ear bone or otolith of a freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), also known as the sheephead fish. The fish's otoliths are quite large and look...
Removing a red snapper otolith (ear bone): Their age can be determined by counting annual growth rings on their otoliths, similar to counting growth rings...
When found, the underlying mechanism typically involves a small calcified otolith moving around loose in the inner ear. Diagnosis is typically made when...
Body fossils of modern eels do not appear until the Eocene, although otoliths assignable to extant eel families and even some genera have been recovered...
two otolith organs (the utricle and the saccule) and the three semicircular canals via the vestibular ganglion of Scarpa. Information from the otolith organs...
Neogene biodiversity development of fishes based on Miocene (~ 17 Ma) otoliths from southwestern India". PalZ. 97: 43–80. doi:10.1007/s12542-022-00623-9...
for about one year, but others have life spans of more than a decade. Otolith analysis (the investigation of snailfish ear bone) gives an abundance of...
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