Variability of intermuscular bones, vertebrae, ribs, dorsal fin rays and skeletal disorders in the common carp

Abstract

The number of intermuscular bones, vertebrae, ribs, dorsal fin rays and an index of bone disorders were determined from x-ray photographs of over 1000 common carp. These carp represented a broad genetic range, including five distinct lines of the domesticated European carp, one group of the Chinese race Big-Belly and 12 crossbreds. The genetic, and even the phenotypic, variation in intermuscular bones were much smaller than those found in earlier experiments. Variation of other bone characters was also analyzed and the relationship of intermuscular bones and ribs to vertebrae was determined.