Otolith Abnormalities in Garfish Belone belone (Belonidae): Expanding the Scope of Otolith Deformities in Marine Fishes from the Aegean Sea

This is the first study investigating the abnormal otolith morphology in the Belone belone in the Aegean Sea, Türkiye. Belone belone samples were collected from the Altinoluk region in the Aegean Sea. Light and scanning electron microscopy analyses were used to determine abnormal otoliths. The presence of otoliths with abnormal characteristics in B. belone individuals was observed as accumulation of irregular calcium carbonate-based structures on the surface and formation of irregular pits, loss of surface features and edge irregularity, fragment loss and calcium carbonate polymorphism. Abnormal otoliths show some morphological differences compared to normal otoliths. Abnormalities were detected in the left and/or right otoliths of female B. belone individuals with different total lengths. The length, width, area, and weight parameters of normal and abnormal otoliths were measured. Statistical differences were determined between these measurements of normal and abnormal otoliths. The percentage of individuals with abnormal otoliths of B. belone is calculated as 5.95%. It is thought that abnormalities in the otoliths of B. belone could be caused by a combination of stress caused by various environmental factors and genetic predisposition.