Journal
JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES
Volume 37, Issue 11, Pages 949-957Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/jfd.12189
Keywords
skeletal deformities; notochord abnormalities; fish larvae
Funding
- program NSRF, 'Competitiveness & Entrepreneurship' of the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, Greece [09SYN-24-619]
- European Union (European Social Fund - ESF)
- Greek national funds through the Operational Program 'Education and Lifelong Learning' of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) - Research Funding Program: Heracleitus II, Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund
Ask authors/readers for more resources
A new type of vertebral malformation is described, consisting of deformed cartilaginous neural and haemal processes and the compression and fusion of vertebral bodies. The malformation is designated as haemal vertebral compression and fusion (haemal VCF). We studied the aetiology of the malformations and described microanatomical histopathological alterations. The malformations were detected during routine quality control in one of six monitored Gilthead sea bream populations. Haemal VCF affected the posterior part of the vertebral column (haemal vertebrae). In 20% of the deformed specimens, haemal VCF was combined with lordosis. At 35dph (days post-hatching), early anatomical signs of the haemal VCF consisted of abnormal centrum mineralization, malformed cartilaginous neural and haemal processes and developing lordotic alterations. The histological examination of the deformed individuals revealed that haemal VCF is preceded by notochord abnormalities. The frequency of deformed individuals was three times higher at 35 than at 61dph (50.3% vs. 17.2%, n=157 and n=250, respectively). No signs of repair or reversion of malformations have been observed. Thus, the steep decrease in deformities in older animals suggests that haemal VCF is linked to high mortality rates. The results are discussed in respect of the possible causative factors of haemal VCF.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available