Re: NANFA-- Mystery Fish Communication

Roselawn Museum (roselawn_at_mindspring.com)
Thu, 01 Mar 2001 11:00:42 -0500

Thanks for the info, Bruce. Very interesting.

Steven

At 10:19 AM 3/1/01 -0500, you wrote:
>The "lucky stones", or otoliths, are bones in fishes' heads encased in a
>membrane system and fluids that allow the fish to orient itself in 3D space;
>this is equivalent to the semicircular canals in our ears. Otoliths (ear
>stones) also function as pressure and sound receptors. They're an
>increasingly studied structure in fish because they also are sensitive
>biochemical recorders, accumulating various isotopes that reflect where a
>fish has been and what it has eaten as well as growing in a pattern that
>allows a fish to be aged. Whether this fish is a drum or a tilapia it should
>have had large, unmistakable otoliths whose shape would allow you to make an
>ID. Geoff's observation that it must be an aquarium release is certainly
>true if the fish is a tilapia; if it is a drum, there are murkier
>possibilities. If a tilapia, we can only hope that it was alone because
>they're such successful colonizers of new habitats.
>
>--Bruce Stallsmith
>Huntsville, AL
>
>>From: Roselawn Museum <roselawn_at_mindspring.com>
>>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>>To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>>Subject: Re: NANFA-- Mystery Fish Communication
>>Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2001 08:41:19 -0500
>>
>>Hey Bruce
>>
>>What are the "lucky stones" Shawn is referring to in the message below?
>>
>>Steven A. Ellis
>>Kennesaw, GA

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