The term was suggested in 1922 by Pyotr Dravert.Федорова А.И. [https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/svoys ... literatury Свойства и действие природных минералов (обзор литературы)] In Russian literature the term may also refer to Geophagia.
==Description==
Stones are found ingested by many animals. These called gastroliths.Wings O. 2007. A review of gastrolith function with implications for fossil vertebrates and a revised classification. Acta Palaeontol Pol52:1–16. In many cases the reason for this is unknown. Stones may be ingested to grind food or to serve as a ballast for aquatic animals.T J Uriona , M Lyon , C G Farmer, [https://academic.oup.com/iob/article/1/1/oby008/5267479 Lithophagy Prolongs Voluntary Dives in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)]