Pigmentation disorders in three specimens of spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758, from the Gulf of Venice, northern Adriatic Sea
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study reports three cases of pigmentation disorders in Squalus acanthias from the Gulf of Venice. Two specimens exhibited spotless phenotypes, whereas one exhibited hypermelanism. Morphological assessments were conducted for two individuals, alongside genetic analysis of mitochondrial genes to determine phylogeographic relationships. Both specimens belonged to the South Pacific/Atlantic/Mediterranean haplogroup, with the first one associated with the main haplotype and the second one linked to a rarer haplotype. This study emphasizes the need for proper identification based on morphology and genetics when pigment disorders hinder a clear-cut species assignment.
Source: Journal of Fish Biology
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.70339
Institutions: University of Padua, University of Bologna
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,480
OpenAlex ID: W7126214767