Introduction

The sagittal otolith bones (sagittae) from the head of the fish are another structure used for
ageing fish. ‘Otolith’ is a generic term used for small calcareous particles that are present in
fluid filled sacs in the fish’s middle ear. The paired middle ears are located latero-posteriorly
(behind and to the sides) to the brain. Otoliths possess a white center surrounded by
alternating concentric opaque and clear (hyaline deposits) rings. These structures assist in
giving the animal its position with respect to gravity and allowing it to balance. Collecting
otoliths require killing the fish and, hence, should only be performed when other, non-lethal
methods cannot be employed. The removal procedure is easily learned, relatively quick, and
requires only basic dissecting tools. Otolith bones collection is the preferred method for
determining age in species that do not produce reliable scale readings, or grow to great ages.
Usually only sagittal otoliths, the largest of the three pairs found in the sacculi of the inner ear
located posterior to the brain, are removed for examination.

Objective
To study the otolith structure of a fish.

Apparatus
 Knife
 Forceps
 Petri dish

Procedure

- A length of a fish is measured by measuring board from the mouth tip to the center of
the tail fin. A fish length are recorded and written to the lab class whiteboard.

- Fish are place in the dissecting pan and the roof of the mouth (parashenoid bone) is
cut through where the first gill arches join the roof of the mouth. A head of the fish
are hold, the backbone are break downwards where the cut was made in the roof of
the mouth. This will expose the otolith bones within membranous sacs on either side
of the mid-line at the posterior ventral portion of the brain cavity. The otoliths should
be extracted unbroken and as clean as possible, using small forceps.

- Both bones should be removed. Once removed from fish, any residual tissue,
gelatinous membrane or blood should be rinsed from the otolith with fresh water.

- Finally, after had find the otolith bone, length and width of otolith bone are measured.
Result

LENGTH BIL
17.5 – 18.0 I Name of the fish : ikan kerisi nemipterus spp.
Length
18.0 – 18.5 III : 19 cm
18.5 – 19.0 IIII
19.0 – 19.5 II
19.5 – 20.0 II Length of otolith bone : 0.6 cm
20.0 – 20.5 III Width of the otolith bone : 0.4 cm
20.5 – 21.0 III
21.0 – 21.5 IIII
21.5 – 22.0 IIII
22.0 – 22.5 III
22.5 – 23.0 I
23.0 – 23.5 II

Conclusion

Fish have bones in their heads called otoliths (oto’ meaning ear and lith’ meaning stone).
These bones help the fish to keeping its balance in the water. When an otolith is removed
from a fish, sectioned into thin slices and viewed through a microscope, it reveals a pattern of
light and dark concentric rings.

When a fishes’ grow slows in the winter a darker denser ring forms. In the warmer months
when a fish is growing faster and a clearer ring is formed. These yearly growth rings are
called annuli, which are similar to the rings found in tree stumps. The rings in the otolith or
stump and determine age can count. Other hard parts in a fish’s body can also be aged in a
similar way such as fin rays or scales. Unlike bones, scales in a fish tend to get knocked off
or fall off over time and have been proven not to be as reliable as otoliths for aging. Otoliths
can be small, thin and clear like in marlins or as large as half thumb and opaque like the red
drum (redfish).
DINAMIK POPULASI IKAN
(SBP2501)

NURUL FERLINA IRIN BT MOHD NOOR AZMI

UK18241
DIPLOMA PERIKANAN
TUAN HAJI MOHAMAD ZAIDI B ZAKARIA
LAPORAN AMALI : TULANG OTOLITH