Talk:Otolith

Picture
Please highlight the appropriate section of the picture of the fish. The caption does not provide enough information to identify the relevant organ. Alvis 06:19, 31 July 2006 (UTC)

Suggestions
It is mentioned in the article that some research indicates that otoliths may not grow proportionally to fish growth rather growth is tied to metabolism. Can someone please provide a reference? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.14.80.41 (talk) 02:15, 5 March 2009 (UTC)

Otoliths, and the vestibular organs of which they are a part, seem to be highly conserved throughout evolution, and the scope of this article should be broadened in light of that.

Perhaps this article would be useful: Frequency Response Properties of Lateral Line Superficial Neuromasts in a Vocal Fish, With Evidence for Acoustic Sensitivity (http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/88/3/1252)

There is an animation of a Lateral Line organ here: http://vet.osu.edu/assets/courses/vm608/anatomy/fig29ani.html

The macula is still in the Figure (after being deleted from the text, see below). The digression about the other function of the saccule is not very relevant because hearing has nothing to do with the otolith.

Why is this article focused on fish when all sorts of animals (including humans) also have otoliths? The focus on fish anatomy is confusing and over-specific to my eyes. 98.212.173.238 (talk) 19:29, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

As above^It seems necessary to me that someone explain whether otoliths are only present in fish at the begining. The article describes them as being present in a saccule which "gives information about vertical acceleration (such as when in an elevator)". This anthropomorphic description seems to suggest that humans have such 'organs' but is confusing. 152.71.227.81 (talk) 13:31, 16 November 2011 (UTC) Josh

The elevator thing is also problematic because first of all, you don't have to be in an elevator to sense vertical acceleration (or be subject to it, whether you can sense it or not); the force of gravity is providing vertical acceleration at all times. On the other hand, or maybe it's the same hand, I strongly suspect that the main way you know when the elevator goes up or down is through changes in the pressure of your feet on the floor. This might explain why it's difficult or impossible to know which way is up when underwater. 47.37.178.124 (talk) 05:28, 19 June 2020 (UTC)

Removals
The macula, which was previously in this article, is not in the ear, but it is in the eye. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macula for more details. --RPC (Peytonio) 15:26, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

This is incorrect. the macula is also a name for a part of the inner ear otolith organs. To quote Purves et al, Neuroscience textbook, 2nd Edition: "Displacements and linear accelerations of the head, such as those induced by tilting or translational movements (see Box A), are detected by the two otolith organs: the sacculus and the utricle. Both of these organs contain a sensory epithelium, the macula, which consists of hair cells and associated supporting cells."

see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=macula&rid=neurosci.section.963

Wikipedia is not an adequate source for adding or removing something from.... Wikipedia —Preceding unsigned comment added by 140.142.143.1 (talk) 20:07, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Deleted section from Paleontology
I deleted the sentence referencing temperature study and weather effects, it was not sourced and combined possible paleontological study with current weather events. It may have some value if statements could be sourced and put in more appropriate context. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.91.2.50 (talk) 03:18, 21 June 2009 (UTC)

Ear crystals
I have heard reference to these and given these have calcium crystals as a portion I figure it's in reference to this. Is this a common enough phrase associated with it to list in the intro? 174.92.135.167 (talk) 16:51, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

Otoconia
This article is almost all about the otolith found in fish. But the otoconia in other kinds of vertebrates is very important too, but is very poorly described by "otolith" and is much better described as ear dust, or as the above IP, "ear crystals". So I think we need a split. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 08:22, 26 April 2020 (UTC)