The lagenar otoliths of teleosts: their morphology and its application in species identification, phylogeny and systematics

The general morphology of the asterisci from recent European teleosts is described, terminology for their parts is proposed, their three major morphological types are identified and the relevance of the morphology of these otoliths in species identification, and as a source of information for studies on fish phylogeny and systematics is discussed. (C) 2003 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.