Premium
The Formation of Otoliths in the Frog Rana esculenta. Scanning Electron Microscopic and X‐Ray Diffraction Studies
Author(s) -
Marmo Francesco,
Balsamo Giuseppe,
Franco Enrico
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1983.tb00803.x
Subject(s) - aragonite , saccule , utricle , otolith , biology , anatomy , calcite , calcium carbonate , crystallography , biophysics , materials science , inner ear , chemistry , paleontology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , composite material
Two crystal forms of calcium carbonate were observed: calcite (utricle) and aragonite (saccule, lagena, endolymphatic sac). The first step in otolith formation is the appearance of organic structures in the macula. The subsequent step is characterized by fast growing primitive crystals with a prismatic habitus that successively transform into adult or mature crystals. With the metamorphosis, the aragonite crystals of the endolymphatic organ show clear signs of erosion that can be related to a process of CaCO 3 mobilization from such deposits.