Collected specimens were between 40 and 130 mm total length
(average 84 ± 10.63 mm). From the specimens of S. abaster observed,
two of them (one female and one male) showed spinal
deformities (0.5% of total fish). The deformed specimens have normally
developed organs and no external lesions. One of the anomalous
pipefishes swam effectively (personal observation).
The two deformed specimens were 50 (female) and 65 (male)
mm TL. X-rays and dissection revealed that the deformed specimens
possessed between 53 and 54 vertebrea (Table 1) and the
deformities affected the caudal part of the vertebral column
(Fig. 1). The spinal column of each specimen is deformed in five
places.
The first curvature in female is a lordosis affecting vertebrea
28–30. In the second specimen (male), the spine is curved at five
places. The first curvature is Kyphosis affecting vertebrea 32–34.
Of the two specimens, the deformed parts of vertebral column
involve 2–6 vertebrea (4–12% of the total vertebrea of each specimen).
The dissection of each deformed S. abaster showed between
2 and 3 vertebrea located on the centre of each curvature. The
radiographic findings shows compressed tails for deformed specimens
and never shows a normal position between consecutive
vertebral curvature (Fig. 2).