Postcranial axial skeletal pathology in Commerson?s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

• Autores: San Martín, Analía Anahí; Dellabianca, Natalia Andrea; Gimeno, Eduardo Juan; Van Bressem, Marie-Francoise
• Año de publicación: 2019
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: POSTCRANIAL AXIAL SKELETAL PATHOLOGY; DEGENERATIVE LESION; TRAUMATA; OSTEOLYSIS; COMMERSON'S DOLPHIN
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Commerson’s dolphins Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii are the small cetacean most frequently found stranded along the coast of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, but little is known about their pathologies. We examined the postcranial axial skeleton of 425 Commerson’s dolphins collected in the period 1974−2011 for the presence of pathologies. Miscellaneous lesions were detected in 107 (25.2%) of the specimens. Among them, idiopathic hyperostosis was the most frequent pathology (73.8%), followed by spondyloarthropathy (40.2%). Traumata (25.2%), spondylitis (10.3%) and osteoarthritis (11.2%) occurred less frequently. The type of lesion was statistically associated with the region of the vertebral column. Idiopathic hyperostosis occurred significantly more frequently in the lumbar vertebrae than in other parts of the vertebral column, while spondyloarthropathy was more frequent in the thoracic and caudal vertebrae. Both conditions were predominantly seen in mature dolphins. Osteoarthritis affected the transverse processes of the thoracic vertebrae of 6 males, 3 females and 3 individuals of undetermined sex, all mature. Healed and unhealed fractures were observed in the ribs of 27 specimens and in the transverse processes of 3 others. Spondylitis of various degrees of severity affected the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and caudal regions of 11 individuals. Together these data indicate that bone lesions and traumata commonly occur in Commerson’s dolphins, likely causing pain and morbidity in severe cases.
Fil: San Martín, Analía Anahí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina
Fil: Dellabianca, Natalia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina
Fil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Van Bressem, Marie-Francoise. No especifíca;