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20170047_0005

© Xavier COLOMBET/LEHNA/CNRS Images

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20170047_0005

Coupe frontale de lapilus, un type d'otolithe prélevé sur un chevesne

Frontal section of a lapillus, a type of otolith taken from a chub, Squalius cephalus, a very common species of freshwater fish in Europe, viewed using an optical microscope (70x). Otoliths are mineral concretions found in the inner ear of vertebrates. This one was taken from a fish caught during electrofishing as part of a study on the growth of larvae and juveniles in the abandoned channels of the Rhône. The aim is to estimate the age of the fish in days by counting the successive daily deposits of CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) on the otolith, from when the fish hatches (nucleus) to the date it is caught. The otolith section is sanded to obtain a smooth surface without micro-scratches.

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