Methion Séverine, Díaz López Bruno
Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI), 36980 O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain.
Dis Aquat Organ. 2019 Aug 8;135(2):121-125. doi: 10.3354/dao03385.
Atypical pigmentation, which is rarely observed in the wild, may influence social interactions between animals and can be detrimental for survival. Hypopigmentation, which is the lack of pigment in a part or on the entire body, is a type of atypical pigmentation pattern that can be either acquired (e.g. vitiligo) or congenital resulting from the inheritance of mutations in pigment-related genes (e.g. albinism, leucism and piebaldism). This study documents atypical pigmentation in a fin whale Balaenoptera physalus off the northwestern coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Atlantic Ocean). Photographic and video data collected between 2016 and 2017 on 30 individual fin whales were examined. One fully-grown fin whale exhibited hypopigmentation. Several white patches of different shapes and sizes were present across the body of the fin whale including on the head, body, dorsal fin, flippers, and flukes. The position, shape, and lack of inflammation of the white patches on the whale observed, along with its body length and condition, might indicate that the depigmentation pattern is due to vitiligo. To our knowledge, this is the first case of atypical pigmentation pattern in fin whales described with photographs and video records. As these observations are rare, especially in highly migratory, long-lived, marine mammal species, this study provides valuable information to better understand the occurrence of this phenomenon. Further studies are needed to determine the ecological and physiological implications of atypical colourations, which might have a significant influence on the animal's survival.
非典型色素沉着在野外很少见，可能会影响动物之间的社交互动，对生存也可能不利。色素减退是指身体局部或全部缺乏色素，是一种非典型色素沉着模式，可后天获得（如白癜风），也可由色素相关基因突变遗传导致（如白化病、白变症和花斑症）。本研究记录了伊比利亚半岛（大西洋）西北海岸一头长须鲸（Balaenoptera physalus）的非典型色素沉着情况。对2016年至2017年期间收集的30头长须鲸个体的照片和视频数据进行了检查。发现一头成年长须鲸存在色素减退现象。在这头长须鲸的全身，包括头部、身体、背鳍、鳍肢和尾叶上，有几块不同形状和大小的白色斑块。观察到的鲸鱼身上白色斑块的位置、形状以及无炎症情况，连同其体长和身体状况，可能表明色素脱失模式是由白癜风引起的。据我们所知，这是以照片和视频记录描述的长须鲸非典型色素沉着模式的首例。由于这些观察结果很罕见，尤其是在高度洄游、寿命长的海洋哺乳动物物种中，本研究为更好地理解这一现象的发生提供了有价值的信息。需要进一步研究来确定非典型色素沉着的生态和生理影响，这可能对动物的生存产生重大影响。
