PRELIMINARY REPORT OF A CONJOINED BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) CALF STRANDED ON THE AEGEAN SEA COAST OF TURKEY

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, 34320, Avcilar, Istanbul, TURKEY
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TURKEY
Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul University, Ordu St., No. 200, 34470, Laleli, Istanbul, TURKEY

On 4 August 2014, a male conjoined dicephalic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) calf was found dead on the beach of Dikili/İzmir, the Aegean coast of Turkey. This is the first case of conjoined cetacean reported in Turkey and the second in the Mediterranean Sea.

Keywords: Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, dicephalus, conjoined twins, Siamese twins, congenital defect, Aegean Sea

 

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