Abstract
This paper evaluates the malformation in the left third maxilliped of a specimen of the fiddler crab Uca rapax from Venezuela. There are some hypotheses and the cause of the malformation remains unknown, but the results are indicative that is most likely due to errors in morphogenetic processes.
Highlights
The occurrence of malformations in crustaceans has been poorly documented and attributed to various causes, such as injuries (Shelton et al, 1981), parasitic diseases, including viral infections (Primavera and Quinio, 2000), somatic mutations or errors in morphogenetic processes (Von Vaupel Klein and Koomen, 1993), contaminants (Weis et al, 1992) and exposure to extreme environmental conditions such as low temperatures (Pandoursky and Evtimova, 2009)
The most commonly reported teratologies are related to abnormal lateral growth process (Motoh, 2002; Lira et al, 2003; Martínez and Rudolph, 2010) or abnormal distal process (Pinheiro and Toledo, 2010) in chelipeds, other structures such as shell (Dexter, 1954), rostrum (De Grave, 1999; Aguirre and Hendrickx, 2005; Follesa et al, 2008; Ashelby & Lavesque, 2011), thoracic esternites (Heerebout, 1969), ovaries (Nalini, 1975), abdomen (Heerebout, 1969; Mantelatto et al, 2000), telson (De Grave, 1999; Aguirre & Hendrickx, 2005) and walking legs (Ros and Quiñones, 1981; Lira et al, 2012) may have atypical developments
This paper describes a malformation in the left third maxilliped of a specimen of the fiddler crab, Uca rapax (Smith, 1870)
Summary
The occurrence of malformations in crustaceans has been poorly documented and attributed to various causes, such as injuries (Shelton et al, 1981), parasitic diseases, including viral infections (Primavera and Quinio, 2000), somatic mutations or errors in morphogenetic processes (Von Vaupel Klein and Koomen, 1993), contaminants (Weis et al, 1992) and exposure to extreme environmental conditions such as low temperatures (Pandoursky and Evtimova, 2009). This paper describes a malformation in the left third maxilliped of a specimen of the fiddler crab, Uca rapax (Smith, 1870).
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