ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY OF THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE MATRIX AND MINERAL COMPONENTS OF THE OTOLITH OF HYPEROGLYPHE ANTARCTICA

The sagittal otolith of Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Centrolophidae: Teleostei) has a prismatic structure in which the anti-sulcal growth axes of each prism consist of a series of nested cones each composed of a mineral layer followed by an organic matrix layer. Broken sections show the mineral layers to be composed of stacks of crystals. Otolith matrix that has been decalcified and air-dried, or critical-point-dried, retains a periodic structure of repeating high and low matrix density. At high magnifications, both broken whole crystal surfaces and decalcified matrix surfaces have a granular structure. Chlorox-bleached whole otoliths also show a granular crystalline structure. At higher magnifications, the air-dried matrix showed a parallel fiber structure with similar dimensions to keratin fibers. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.