Breaking evolutionary and pleiotropic constraints in mammals: On sloths, manatees and homeotic mutations

Table 5 Vertebral information and congenital abnormalities in investigated mammalian specimens: Dugongidae (Dugongs)

Dugongidae (Dugongs)
Collection	Species	Collection No.	Sex	Vertebral formula	Precaudal No.	Rud. ribs on vertebrae	Skeletal and fibrous abnormalities
		ZMA.8870	n.a.	6C 1C/T 19T 25+Cd	26	V7	Malformed cervical vertebrae
NCBN		RMNH.MAM.27522	n.a.	7C 19T 1T/Cd 34Cd	26	-	-
		RMNH.MAM.27523	n.a.	6C 1C/T 19T 1T/Cd 33Cd	26.5	V7, V27	C2-C3 fusion, rib fusions, malformed cervical vertebrae, fusion of 4th and 5th digit of forelimb
		1946.8.6.1	F	6C 1C/T 19T 24+Cd	26	V7	Asymmetric sternum, malformed vertebrae, tiny hole in cranium (midline)
		1870.8.16.1	M	7C 19T 30Cd	26	-	-
NHM	Dugong dugon	1966 9.7.1	M	6C 1C/T 19T 29Cd	26	V7	Cranium, vertebrae and ribs irregularly shaped, asymmetric sternum
		1885.4.20.2	F	6C 1C/T 18T 1T/Cd 31Cd	25.5	V7, V26	Cranium and sternum malformed
		1.183d	n.a.	6C 1C/T 19T 35Cd	26	V7	Asymmetric sternum, abnormal ossification of tendons in manus, arthrosis, severe osteoporosis
RBINC		800B1/2	F	7C 18T 1T/Cd 31Cd	25.5	V26	-
		800	n.a.	7C 18T 26+Cd	25	-	Tiny hole in cranium (midline)
		1.183B	n.a.	7C 18T 33Cd	25	-	Tiny hole in cranium (midline)

*) Skeleton largely absent
**) Died in captivity
Abbreviations: n.a. - not available, C -Cervical, T - Thoracic, L-Lumbar, S - Sacral, Cg - Coccygeal, Cd - Caudal (post thoracic), V - Vertebra, rud. - rudimentary, NCBN - NCB Naturalis, RMCA - Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren, RBINC - Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Brussels, NHM - Natural History Museum London

ISSN: 2041-9139