1. Small calcareous or bony structures found in the inner ear of fish and some other aquatic animals, used for balance and hearing; also called otoliths.
Usage: plural form; technical/scientific term; also known as otoliths or statoliths

Examples

• Fish use earstones to detect vibrations and maintain their sense of balance in water.
• The earstones of salmon grow in rings similar to tree rings, allowing scientists to determine their age.
• Researchers examined the earstones under a microscope to study the fish population.
• Earstones help aquatic animals navigate through their environment by sensing movement and gravity.