title: Destructive and non-destructive microanalysis of biocarbonates applied to anomalous otoliths of archaeological and modern sciaenids (Teleostei) from Peru and Chile.
abstract: Anomalous otoliths were discovered among modern and archaeological (8th millennium BP) sciaenids. The two species concerned, Cilus gilberti and Sciaena deliciosa, are common on the Peruvian-Chilean coast and do not seem to be affected by this morphological anomaly that maintained in their populations for thousands of years. The carbonates of the anomalous forms, determined by X-ray diffraction, are different from that of the normal otoliths, i.e. calcite and vaterite instead of aragonite. A method of non-destructive analysis by cathodoluminescence is tested and assumptions on the origin of the anomaly and its possible implications on environmental studies are advanced.
authors.affiliation: Archéozoologie, histoire des sociétés humaines et des peuplements animaux, CNRS UMR 5197/USM 0303, Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55, rue Buffon, 75231 Paris, France. bearez@mnhn.fr
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Béarez
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlier
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lorand
authors.forename: Gian-Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Parodi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002254:Carbonates / Q000032:analysis*; D002677:Chile; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010037:Otolithic Membrane / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000737:chemistry*; D010568:Peru
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates