A 7.25 m long male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with spondylitis was found beached on August 13, 1994 at Ancon, Ecuador (2°23' S, 80°47' W). The condition involved at least 11 vertebrae, 7 lumbar (L4 to L11) and 4 caudal (Ca1 to Ca4). Partial fusion of vertebrae was observed as a result of intervertebral bony proliferation, likely impeding full motion. The relatively young age of this specimen and the severity of the deformities suggest an infectious, rather than degenerative, process. The gross findings are most consistent with some type of spondyloarthritis. Although this condition has previously been identified in a number of cetacean species, the pathogenesis, population impact and ecologic implications have not been fully assessed. This is the third case described for humpback whales and the first for a humpback whale from the SE Pacific.
KEY WORDS: Spondylitis · Humpback whale · Ecuador
Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 75: [259][260][261][262][263][264] 2007 1973). Spondyloarthritis can also lead to irregular bone growth with severe pain and loss of mobility. With the exception of DISH, the other 3 conditions have been documented from cetaceans.
MATERIALS AND METHODSIn this report we describe a case of severe vertebral deformities in a 7.25 m beached, dead male humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae. The animal was initially observed on August 13, 1994 near Ancon, Ecuador (2°23' S, 80°47' W), and the partially decomposed carcass was examined the following day. The size of the Ecuadorian specimen indicates that this individual was probably an undersized yearling (see Stevick 1999) that had completed the first migrating roundtrip between the breeding area in tropical waters and the feeding area located in waters west of the Antarctic Peninsula (Stevick et al. 2004).
RESULTSExternally, there was no evidence of trauma or attempted predation that would indicate a specific cause of death, but the carcass was covered by uncharacteristically large numbers of whale lice (Cyamus sp.), an ectoparasite specialized in feeding on whale skin (Slijper 1979). Lice were particularly abundant over the peduncular and genital remnants, giving the skin a pale brown coloration in these areas (Fig. 1).The most significant gross finding involved the musculoskeletal system and was observed during the flensing process to obtain the skeleton
1. A large portion of the lumbar and caudal vertebrae were fused and covered with a thick layer of irregular bone. The vertebral column was sectioned on the beach into several small blocks to facilitate transportation to a nearby area, where the blocks were buried for natural cleaning. Unfortunately, the block with most of the caudal vertebrae was lost during this period, and the condition of the final part of the spine could not be assessed. The remaining affected vertebral segments included 7 lumbar (L4 to L11) and 4 caudal (Ca1 to Ca4) vertebrae, approximately 1.5 m in total length (Fig. 2). There was a block of ...