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First records of ‘pughead’ and ‘short-tail’ skeletal deformities in the Atlantic goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara (Perciformes: Epinephelidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2015

Leonardo Schlogel Bueno ,
Christopher Carl Koenig  and
Mauricio Hostim-Silva
Leonardo Schlogel Bueno*
Affiliation:
Instituto COMAR – Conservação Marinha do Brasil, Rua Helena Degelmann, 104CEP 89218-580, Costa e Silva, Joinville, SC, Brazil
Christopher Carl Koenig
Affiliation:
Instituto COMAR – Conservação Marinha do Brasil, Rua Helena Degelmann, 104CEP 89218-580, Costa e Silva, Joinville, SC, Brazil
Mauricio Hostim-Silva
Affiliation:
Instituto COMAR – Conservação Marinha do Brasil, Rua Helena Degelmann, 104CEP 89218-580, Costa e Silva, Joinville, SC, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: L.S. Bueno, Instituto COMAR – Conservação Marinha do Brasil, Rua Helena Degelmann, 104CEP 89218-580, Costa e Silva, Joinville, SC, Brazil email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Here we report two types of skeletal deformities, ‘pughead’ and ‘short-tail’, observed for the first time in the adult Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara). Photographic documentation of these deformities was made for only three individuals during our studies of their spawning aggregations. ‘Pugheadedness’ was documented in Brazil and Florida, and the ‘short-tail’ deformity was documented only in Brazil. Skeletal deformities are rare, have very low frequencies in wild populations and appear to be initiated during early development. There was no apparent effect of the condition on the adult goliath grouper, as they appeared robust and healthy.

Keywords

Atlantic goliath grouperendangered speciesreef fishspawning aggregationsFloridasouth Brazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 8 , 2015 , e72
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

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