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Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

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DAO 109:263-267 (2014)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02743

NOTE
A third case of amelia in Morelet’s crocodile from the Yucatan Peninsula

Pierre Charruau1,*, Carlos A. Niño-Torres2

1Centro del Cambio Global y la Sustentabilidad en el Sureste, A.C., C.P. 86080, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
2Universidad de Quintana Roo, C.P. 77019 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Congenital defects in crocodilians have received little interest. In the context of global change and increasing threats to biodiversity, data on birth defects occurring in wildlife could be of importance for estimating the health of species populations and their ecosystems. Herein, we report the first case of amelia (i.e. absence of limbs) in Morelet’s crocodiles Crocodylus moreletii from Mexico and the third on the southern Yucatan Peninsula. The crocodile in question was a juvenile (41 cm total length) captured in July 2012 in the Río Hondo, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Belize south of the state of Quintana Roo. The prevalence of this malformation in the C. moreletii population of Río Hondo (0.35%) is similar to that reported in 2 previous cases in Belize. Several causes of birth defects in crocodilians have previously been cited in the literature. Although we do not have relevant information to elucidate this case, we discuss some plausible explanations for this birth defect.


KEY WORDS: Congenital defect · Crocodiles · Crocodylus moreletii · Ectromelia · Mexico · Quintana Roo


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Cite this article as: Charruau P, Niño-Torres CA (2014) A third case of amelia in Morelet’s crocodile from the Yucatan Peninsula. Dis Aquat Org 109:263-267. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02743

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