What Is an Otolith?

A calcareous calculus in the inner ears of vertebrates or in the ears of invertebrates is particularly pronounced in many true-bone fish, forming a hard physique, and in most higher vertebrates it is a calcareous small ear sand mass. ^[1] Its effect is related to the balance of the body, also known as the listening stone.

[r shí]

Otoliths are important organs that control the balance of the human body.

Humans can move normally because there are organs in the ears that regulate the body's balance. One of the important structures is

The otoliths of the Sciaenidae family are large and numerous, hence the name Shishi. For example, the globular sacs of the left and right inner ears of big yellow croakers and small yellow croakers are connected to each other. They contain large otoliths, called sagittal, which are smooth on the inner side and have ridge-like marks. Otoliths in other endolymph sacs are smaller, such as bottles. Otoliths in the sac, micro-otoliths in the oval capsule, and so on. Otoliths are also concealed in the inner ear of other fishes. For example, the otoliths of the sea bass are the largest, the cods are larger, and the sea dragon spherical and bottle-shaped sacs are extremely small, so the otoliths are generally underdeveloped. Cartilage fishes have well-developed globular sacs and otoliths. Otoliths increase with the growth of the fish body. If you cut them through the core, you can find ring patterns arranged in concentric circles. Similar to the ring patterns on fish scales, you can estimate the age of the fish based on the otolith ring patterns.