Otoliths of Caspian gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae): Morphological diversity and phylogenetic implications.

ABSTRACT: Otoliths (ear stones) of the inner ears of teleost fishes, which develop independently from the skeleton and are functionally associated with hearing and the sense of equilibrium, have significantly contributed to contemporary understanding of teleost fish systematics and evolutionary diversity. The sagittal otolith is of particular interest, since it often possesses distinctive morphological features that differ significantly among species, and have been shown to be species- and genus-specific, making it an informative taxonomic tool for ichthyologists. The otolith morphology of the Caspian Sea gobiids has not been thoroughly studied yet, with data available for only a few species. The aim of the present paper is to examine the qualitative and quantitative taxonomic and phylogenetic infor

SUBMITTER: Zarei F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10184949 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature