A new type of lordosis and vertebral body compression in Gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L.: aetiology, anatomy and consequences for survival
Loizides, M; Georgiou, N; Somarakis, S; Witten, P.E.; Koumoundouros, G (2014). A new type of lordosis and vertebral body compression in Gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L.: aetiology, anatomy and consequences for survival. J. Fish Dis. 37(11): 949-957. dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12189
In: Journal of Fish Diseases. Blackwell Science: Oxford; London; Edinburgh; Boston; Melbourne. ISSN 0140-7775; e-ISSN 1365-2761, more
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 35 dph (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 61 dph (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.
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