First record of a bicephalic chondrichthyan found in Australian waters; the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina dumerilii (Chondrichthyes: Rhinobatidae)
Leonardo Guida A C , Terence I. Walker B and Richard D. Reina A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia.
B Fisheries Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries, PO Box 114, Queenscliff, Vic. 3225, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: leonardo.guida@monash.edu
Marine and Freshwater Research 65(5) 396-399 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF13198
Submitted: 24 July 2013 Accepted: 9 September 2013 Published: 15 November 2013
Abstract
We report the first documented case of bicephaly in a chondrichthyan, the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina dumerilii, in Australian waters. Females in the latter stages of pregnancy, as confirmed by ultrasound, were captured by hand in Swan Bay, Victoria (38.252°S, 144.616°E) in February 2013 and transported to aquaria. Up to 10 females gave birth in aquaria in early April 2013 to 11 neonates, one of which was a still-born, bicephalic neonate. Magnetic resonance imagery of the bicephalic neonate displayed the presence of two parallel vertebral columns running the entire length of the animal, diverging into two well formed heads. Morphological measurements were also made, comparing the bicephalic neonate to normal neonates. The cause of bicephaly is unknown, although congenital and environmental stressors during development may cause this condition.
Additional keywords: abnormality, axial bifurcation, deformity, elasmobranch, embryo, morphology.
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