SKELETAL ABNORMALITIES IN FOUR FISH SPECIES COLLECTED FROM THE SEA OF MARMARA, TURKEY

Abstract

Skeletal anomalies such as ankylosis (fusion of vertebrae), lordosis (ventral curvature), kyphosis (dorsal curvature) and pugheadedness have been studied in many fish species, both cultured and wild populations. Specimens of Trachurus trachurus (Linnaeus, 1758), Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus 1758, Serranus hepatus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) were collected from the Sea of Marmara (Turkey) and used in this study. Deformities of the vertebral column were located in both thoracic and caudal vertebrae. In the cases of pugheadedness two different levels of severity were observed: secondary level (slight deformation) and tertiary level (severe deformation). The S. hepatus specimen displayed the severest level of deformity among the cases studied, ankylosis as well as pugheadedness. All cases were non-fatal as they occurred in adult individuals.