General Morphology 1
Membranous labyrinth and otolith organs 2
Function 3
Composition 3
Preservation 5
Nomenclature 6
Taxonomic value 8
Ontogenetic changes 8
Variability 11
Dissymmetry 14
Dimorphism 15
Convergence, symplesiomorphy and parallel variations 16
Relation otolith length/fish length 17
Biogeography 18
Taphonomy 19
Recent versus fossil habitat 19
Origin of fossil otolith associations 19
Otolith associations and the paleoenvironment 19
Evolution 23
Evolution below the species level 23
Evolution on the species level 24
Evolution of whole faunas 25
Evolution of biotas 25
Stratigraphic Use 27
Taxonomy of Fossil Otoliths 30
Generic determination 30
Otoliths in situ 33
Systematics 34
Superclass Gnathostomata 35
Class Osteichthyes 35
Subclass Acanthodii 35
Subclass Actinoptergii 35
Infraclass Cladistia 35
Infraclass Actinopteri 36
Superseries Chondrostei 36
Order Palaeonisciformes 36
Order Acipenseriformes 37
Superseries Neopterygii 37
Division Ginglymodi 37
Order Lepisosteiformes 37
Division Halecostomi 37
Subdivision Halecomorphi 37
Order Amiiformes 37
Subdivision Teleostei 37
Supercohort Osteoglossomorpha 38
Order Osteoglossiformes 38
Order Mormyriformes 39
Supercohort Elopocephala 39
Cohort Elopomorpha 39
Order Elopiformes 39
Order Megalopiformes 39
Order Anguilliformes 39
Cohort Clupeocephala 45
Subcohort Clupeomorpha 45
Order Clupeiformes 45
Subcohort Euteleostei 48
Infracohort Ostariophysi 48
Series Anotophysi 48
Order Gonorhynchiformes 48
Series Otophysi 48
Subseries Cypriniphysi 48
Order Cypriniformes 48
Subseries Characiphysi 48
Order Characiformes 48
Order Siluriformes 48
Infracohort Neognathi 48
Supersection Protacanthopterygii 48
Order Salmoniformes 48
Supersection Neoteleostei 52
Section Stenopterygii 52
Order Stomiiformes 52
Section Eurypterygii 53
Subsection Cyclosquamata 53
Order Aulopiformes 53
Subsection Ctenosquamata 55
Sept Scopelomorpha 55
Order Myctophiformes 55
Sept Acanthomorpha 57
Order Ctenothrissiformes 57
Superorder Paracanthopterygii 57
Order Percopsiformes 57
Order Batrachoidiformes 57
Order Gobiesociformes 57
Order Lophiiformes 57
Order Gadiformes 59
Order Ophidiiformes 63
Superorder Acanthopterygii 67
Series Atherinomorpha 67
Order Atheriniformes 67
Series Percomorpha 69
Order Beryciformes 69
Order Zeiformes 72
Order Lampriformes 73
Order Gasterosteiformes 74
Order Channiformes 75
Order Synbranchiformes 75
Order Scorpaeniformes 75
Order Dactylopteriformes 79
Order Pegasiformes 79
Order Perciformes 79
Order Pleuronectiformes 102
Order Tetraodontiformes 105
Subclass Sarcopterygii 107
Infraclass Actinistia 107
Infraclass Dipnoi 107
References and Bibliography 108
Abbrevations used in Figures 110
Annotated list of the nominal otolith-based fossil fish species 110
Index generum 134
Index of higher categories 141