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A Guide to Otoliths from Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico

Ivy E. Baremore and Dana M. Bethea

Digital images of otoliths from a total of 172 species of fishes representing 36 families are presented in this catalogue. 

Unless otherwise noted, the otoliths pictured are sagittal. Two images of each otolith are presented: 
the proxal and distal surfaces. Distribution information, unless otherwise noted, is from the Peterson Field Guide
to Atlantic Coast Fishes (Robins et al., 1986), and shape categories were derived in part from Smale, et al. (1995).
Otoliths have been categorized by shape and family.

For a complete list of species encompassed in the manual, including fish length and distribution information, click here.

OR, click on the shape description to see images of all otoliths in that category.
Fusiform	Obvate	Panhandle	Round
Triangular	Oblong	Square	Oval

References:
Robins, C.R., G.C. Carleton. 1986. Peterson's Field Guide to Atlantic Coast fishes of North America; Series 32. Houghton Mifflin Company, NY. 324 p.
Smale, M.J., G. Watson, and T. Hecht. 1995. Otolith Atlas of Southern African Marine Fishes. Ichthyological Monographs. Number 1: 235 p.

For a more complete catelog of otolith images from around the world, please visit the AFORO - Shape Analysis of Fish Otoliths site maintained by Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC) in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Many thanks to all Trip Interview Program, Beaufort Headboat, and Marine Fisheries Recreational Statistics Survey port agents. Alexander Dutton provided invaluable expertise and advice on the website.

Unless Otherwise Noted, All Pictures and Content Herein are Sole Property of NOAA Fisheries Panama City Laboratory.

Note: In compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitaion Act Amendements of 1998 that pertain specifically to web sites (36 CFR 1194.22), alternate formats of this site, hard copies of all media referenced herein, and access to original digital versions of photographs are available upon request from Dana Bethea.

Contact Dana Bethea.

Last updated 8/29/11.

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