Spinal deformities in the black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster (Pisces, Syngnathidae) from the Tunis North Lake, Tunisia.
Spinal deformities are seen in fishes. Deformities in the family Syngnathidae is rarely reported. Spine curvatures in natural population of pipefish, Syngnathus abaster are reported from the Tunis North Lake. The species is euryhaline and occurs along the Mediterranean coasts. Four hundred specimens of S. abaster were collected from January 2006 to December 2007 from the Tunis North Lake. Two specimens with skeletal abnormalities were described for the first time. X-rays radiographies revealed several vertebral deformities for each deformed specimen, especially at five curvation places of the caudal part. Several factors are believed to be the cause of spinal deformities of S. abaster in the Tunis North Lake, such as environmental disturbances, parasitism infection and nutritional factors.
Marine Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, 2092 Campus, Tunisia. benalayah@yahoo.fr
Hajer Ben
HB
Alaya
René
R
Galzin
Jean-Pierre
JP
Quignard
Monia
M
Trabelsi
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D008297:Male; D009139:Musculoskeletal Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014416:Tunisia