Otoliths (sagitta, asteriscus and lapillus)are complex structures composed of calcium carbonate, other minerals, and a protein matrix. Otoliths are located in the internal ear of the teleost fishes. The shape and structure of otoliths are specific for each species. For this reason, otoliths are used to identify species in biological and ecological studies.Sciaenids conform a group of fishes of commercial importance, so the handling of this resource is a high-priority topic for the local and national economies of countries that exploit these species. The purpose of this work is to study different aspects of the sagittae of marine sciaenids from Argentina and Peru. The morphology, morphometry and chemical composition has been analyzed in relation to the... |