Otolith
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.
| 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 | |
Counting the annual growth rings on the otoliths is a common technique in estimating the age of fish.
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