Otolith (IMAGE) NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Caption The ear bones of salmon show growth rings similar to trees that reveal their life histories. Scientists used clues from the otoliths to determine which salmon best survived difficult conditions. Credit George Whitman/UC Davis Usage Restrictions Credit required License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.