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received: 2019-09-16                  DOI 10.19233/ASHN.2019.21
MORPHOLOGICAL DEFORMITIES IN A STRIPED SEA BREAM 
LITHOGNATHUS MORMYRUS (OSTEICHTHYES: SPARIDAE) FROM 
NORTHERN TUNISIAN WATERS (CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA)
Sihem RAFRAFI-NOUIRA
Université de Carthage, Unité de Recherches Exploitation des Milieux aquatiques, Institut Supérieur de Pêche et d’Aquaculture de 
Bizerte, BP 15, 7080 Menzel Jemil, Tunisia
Christian REYNAUD & Christian CAPAPÉ
Laboratoire d’Ichtyologie, case 104, Université de Montpellier, 34 095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
e-mail: capape@univ-montp2.fr 
ABSTRACT
Abnormalities of the lateral line and the vertebral column are described in a specimen of striped sea bream 
Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758) collected from the northern coast of Tunisia. Despite these deformities, 
the specimen was able to live in the wild together with normal specimens. The origin of these abnormalities are 
commented and discussed.
Key words: Lithognathus mormyrus, hyperkyphosis, lordosis, environmental pollution, length-weight relationship
DEFORMAZIONI MORFOLOGICHE IN UNA MORMORA, LITHOGNATHUS 
MORMYRUS (OSTEICHTHYES: SPARIDAE), IN ACQUE DELLA TUNISIA 
SETTENTRIONALE (MEDITERRANEO CENTRALE)
SINTESI
L’articolo riporta anomalie della linea laterale e della colonna vertebrale in un esemplare di mormora, Lithognathus 
mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758), proveniente dalle acque al largo della costa settentrionale della Tunisia. Nonostante 
queste deformità, l’esemplare è stato in grado di vivere allo stato libero insieme ad individui normali. Gli autori 
commentano e discutono l’origine di queste anomalie.
Parole chiave: Lithognathus mormyrus, ipercifosi, lordosi, inquinamento ambientale, relazione lunghezza-peso
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INTRODUCTION
The striped sea bream Lithognathus mormyrus (Lin-
naeus, 1758) is a sparid species inhabiting shallow 
coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic from the Bay of 
Biscay to South Africa, and from the south-western areas 
of the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea (Bauchot & Hureau, 
1986). L. mormyrus occurs throughout the Mediter-
ranean Sea, where it is abundantly captured by anglers 
for local consumption especially in the Strait of Sicily 
(Vitale et al., 2011). Additionally, the species has been 
recently found in the Black Sea (Aydin, 2018). It lives on 
sandy and rocky bottoms partially covered by seagrass 
and algae, to a maximum depth of 80 m (Bauchot & 
Hureau, 1986), and feeds on crustaceans, small teleosts 
and molluscs (Chessa et al., 2005).
L. mormyrus is one of the 21 sparid species, all hav-
ing economic importance, that are commonly caught 
throughout the Tunisian coast. Populations of this spe-
cies can also be found in brackish areas, such as Bahiret 
el Bibane, in the southern region, and the Lagoon of 
Bizerte, in the northern region, where they live and 
reproduce (Hammami et al., 2013). Additionally, the 
species is rather abundant in southern Tunisia, where it 
is targeted by fishermen, as its flesh is appreciated by the 
local population (Bradaï, 2000). During investigations 
conducted in the northern Tunisian area since 2006, 
focusing primarily on elasmobranch species (El Kamel et 
al., 2009a, b) and then on all fish species (Rafrafi-Nouira, 
2016), several L. mormyrus have been collected, among 
them a specimen displaying morphological deformi-
ties. Comprehensive published scientific references of 
recorded abnormalities in teleost species do not report 
any case in L. mormyrus (see Dawson, 1964, 1966, 
1971; Dawson & Heal 1971; Jawad & Hosie, 2007; 
Jawad et al., 2010; Jawad & Ibrahim, 2018). The aim 
of this note is to describe this abnormal specimen and 
comment on similar abnormalities previously observed 
in teleost species. 
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 32 specimens of L. mormyrus were col-
lected during years 2013 and 2014, off Ras Jebel, located 
on the northern Tunisian coast, among them a specimen 
found on 23 June 2014 presenting abnormalities on the 
body. All specimens were caught by commercial gillnet 
with a stretched mesh size of 26 mm, at 37° 14’ 57.53” 
N and 10°11’ 52. 85” E, on sandy bottom, together with 
other sparid and labrid species (Fig. 1). 
The fresh specimens were measured for total length 
(TL) recorded to the nearest centimetre and weighed 
for total body weight (TBW) to the nearest gram. Mor-
phometric measurements and meristic counts followed 
Bauchot & Hureau (1986) and Aydin (2018); they were 
recorded in the abnormal specimen and compared with 
those recorded in 2 of the normal specimens (see Tab. 
1). The 3 specimens were fixed in 10% buffered forma-
lin, preserved in 75 % formaldehyde and deposited in 
the Ichthyological Collection of the Institut Superieur 
de Pêche et d’Aquaculture de Bizerte (Tunisia), under 
catalogue numbers ISPAB-Lith mor 01 for the abnormal 
specimen, and ISPAB-Lith mor 02 ISPAB-Lith mor 03, for 
the 2 normal specimens, respectively. The abnormali-
ties of the vertebral column, such as scoliosis (lateral 
curvature), lordosis (ventral curvature), kyphosis (dorsal 
curvature) and ankylosis (fusion of vertebrae), reported 
in many species, cultured and from the wild, were de-
scribed following the Elie & Girard (2014) and Jawad 
& Ibrahim (2018) definitions. Additionally, three regions 
were taken into consideration, partially following Louiz 
et al. (2007): the anterior or cephalic region, the inter-
mediate or abdominal region and the terminal or caudal 
region.
A t-test was performed to point out the differences 
in the number of line scales and vertebrae between the 
abnormal L. mormyrus and the normal specimens. The 
relation between the total length (TL) and the total body 
weight (TBW) was used as a complement following 
Froese et al. (2011), including all specimens, normal and 
Fig. 1: Map of Tunisia indicating the capture area (rec-
tangle) of Lithognathus mormyrus from the northern Tu-
nisian coast. GT, Gulf of Tunis; GH, Gulf of Hammamet; 
GG, Gulf of Gabès.
Sl. 1: Zemljevid Tunizije z označenim predelom (pra-
vokotnik), kjer je bil ujet primerek ovčice na severni 
obali. Legenda: GT, Tuniški zaliv; GH, Hamameški zaliv; 
GG, Gabeški zaliv.
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abnormal, to show if this latter was able to develop in 
the wild like other normal specimens. This LWR is TBW 
= aTLb, and was converted into its linear regression, ex-
pressed in decimal logarithmic coordinates, correlations 
were assessed by least-squares regression as log TBW = 
log a + b log TL. The significance of constant b differ-
ences was assessed to the hypothesis of isometric growth 
if b = 3, positive allometry if b > 3, negative isometry if b 
< 3 (Pauly, 1983). These two latter tests were performed 
by using the logistic model STAT VIEW 5.0.
Tab. 1: Morphometric measurements in millimeters (mm), with percentages of standard length (% SL), meristic 
counts and total body weight in grams (g), recorded in an abnormal and 2 normal specimens of Lithognathus 
mormyrus from northern Tunisian waters.
Tab. 1: Morfometrične meritve v milimetrih (mm), z odstotki standardne dolžine (% SL), merističnim štetjem 
in skupno telesno maso v gramih (g), zabeležene v neobičajnem in dveh normalnih primerkih vrste Lithogna-
thus mormyrus iz severno tunizijskih voda.
References ISPAB-Lit-mor01 ISPAB-Lit-mor02 ISPAB-Lit-mor03
Condition Abnormal Normal Normal
Morphometric measurements mm %SL mm %SL mm %SL
Total length 168 124.4 160 125.0 163 125.4
Fork length 149 110.4 142 110.9 144 110.4
Standard length 135 100.0 128 100.0 130 100.0
Head length 47 35.1 44 34.3 43 33.1
Eye diameter 10 7.5 11 8.3 10 7.7
Pre-orbitary length 20 14.7 19 14.5 17 13.2
Post-orbitary length 19 13.7 17 13.6 17 13.4
Dorsal fin length 68 50.5 61 47.6 61 47.2
Pectoral fin length 8 5.9 6 4.6 7 5.3
Pelvic fin length 11 8.2 9 6.9 9 7.0
Anal fin length 29 21.4 23 18.1 22 17.2
Caudal fin length 15 11.3 14 11.3 14 10.5
Snout length 18 13.2 18 13.7 17 12.8
Body height 53 39.5 40 31.1 40 31.0
Pre-dorsal fin length 56 41.8 53 41.2 53 41.0
Pre-pectoral fin length 47 34.7 43 33.4 43 33.2
Pre-pelvic fin length 51 37.4 51 39.5 49 37.8
Pre-anal fin length 89 65.8 87 67.9 88 67.9
Length of the largest spine of the pectoral fin 34 25.3 30 23.5 30 23.4
Thickness 23 17.2 19 14.7 19 14.9
Meristic counts
Lateral line scales 68 60 60
Total number of vertebrae 27 24 24
Dorsal fin rays XI+12 XI+12 XIII+10
Pectoral fin rays 14 13 13
Pelvic fin rays II+10 II+10 II+10
Anal fin rays III+10 III+10 III+10
Caudal fin rays 19 20 20
Total body weight (g) 68.6 48.3 48.4
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
All collected specimens were identified as L. 
mormyrus following the combination of main morpho-
logical characters from Bauchot & Hureau (1986) and 
Engin et al. (2015), such as: body elongated, ovoid and 
compressed, snout elongate and pointed, posterior nos-
tril an oblique slit, in front the of eyes, scales on check 
and opercle, preopercle broad, scaleless, livery with a 
fundamental silver-grey colouration, more or less dark, 
broken by a dozen of blackish or grey vertical lines. The 
abnormal specimen exhibited an upper margin devel-
oped and arched, forming a hump, and the upper profile 
of the head was strongly curved, the lateral obviously 
sinuous, while it was only slightly curved in the normal 
specimens, mainly in the caudal region (Fig. 2).
On an X-ray photograph, the abnormal specimen 
appeared to display three visible deformities. At the 
level of cephalic and caudal regions, the vertebral col-
umn was strongly arched, forming hyperkyphosis. The 
abdominal region displayed lordosis with a somewhat 
smaller arch than the other two deformities (Fig. 3). No 
scoliosis was observed in the abnormal specimen. The 
number of lateral line scales in the abnormal specimen 
was 68, significantly outnumbering those of the normal 
specimens, 60 (t-test = 16, df = 1, p = 0.03). Following 
Bauchot & Hureau (1986) the normal range is from 59 to 
65. Similarly, the number of vertebrae in the abnormal 
specimen, 27, significantly outnumbered those of the 
normal specimens, 24, (t-test = 17, df = 1, p = 0.03). 
Such increased numbers are probably due to the curves 
of the lateral line and the deformities of the vertebral 
column. This also means that the vertebrae were not 
fused and the specimen did not display any signs of 
ankylosis.
Lateral line deformation is the main consequence 
of vertebral column malformation, as observed in the 
present specimen exhibiting hyperkyphosis. Similar pat-
terns were reported by Jardas & Homen (1977) in the 
whiting Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758) and the 
bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758). The same authors 
considered such anomalies not to be that rare in teleost 
species from the Adriatic, and suggested that parasitic in-
fection could also be the cause of skeletal deformations.
Jawad et al. (2010) noted that anomaly in fins could 
hinder the performance of the specimen, especially af-
fecting its capacity to obtain food and avoid predators. In 
the case presented herein, the deformities observed did 
not affect the life of the abnormal specimen in the wild, 
it functioned as well as other normal specimens from the 
same size class, as shown by the relation between total 
length versus total body weight (TM, in g) plotted in Fig. 
4, with: log TBW = 3.150 * log TL +5.161; r = 0.973, n = 
32, displaying a positive allometry. Similar patterns were 
observed by Khenfech et al. (2011) in the annular sea 
bream Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758). Conversely, 
Matsuoaka (1987) and Boglione et al. (2006) noted a 
Fig. 2: Lithognathus mormyrus specimens from the 
northern Tunisian coast. A: Abnormal specimen. B: 
Normal specimen, scale bar = 40 mm.
Sl. 2: Primerki ovčice iz severne tunizijske obale. A: 
Deformirani primerek. B: normalni primerek, merilo = 
40 mm.
Fig. 3: An X-ray photograph of Lithognathus mormyrus 
from the northern Tunisian coast. A: Abnormal speci-
men. B: Normal specimen, scale bar = 30 mm.
Sl. 3: Rentgenski posnetek ovčice iz severne tunizijske 
obale. A: Deformirani primerek. B: Normalni primerek, 
merilo = 30 mm.
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lethal effect caused by severe skeletal deformities in 
teleost species living in natural conditions. 
Abnormalities in fish species occur during the early 
stages of development and could have a genetic origin. 
A mechanical origin cannot be totally ruled out either. 
For instance, when specimens entangled in gillnets 
successfully escape, they can suffer morphological 
deformations and distortions of the normal vertebral 
shape, essentially a remodelling of the vertebral col-
umn, as a consequence of extrinsic forces (Jawad & 
Ibrahim, 2018). On the other hand, these deformities 
could constitute an important indicator of adverse en-
vironmental conditions and pollutants, and stress in the 
wild induced in other ways (Sfakianakis et al., 2004). 
Several cases of abnormalities were described among 
the animal species collected in the Lagoon of Bizerte, 
a restricted brackish area polluted by both inorganic 
and organic nutriments and heavy metals (Mzoughi et 
al., 2002).
The global warming of marine waters in the various 
seas throughout the world could also play a role in 
skeletal deformities (Jawad & Ibrahim, 2018). The entire 
Mediterranean has been facing this major problem for 
several decades (Francour et al., 1994), including the 
Tunisian coast with the spread of alien species incom-
ing from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and/or 
from the eastern tropical Atlantic through the Strait of 
Gibraltar (Ounifi-Ben Amor et al., 2016). The northern 
coast of Tunisia is progressively invaded by such species 
and cases of abnormalities in fish are more frequent 
than previously recorded in the area (Rafrafi-Nouira, 
2016). However, thorough investigations are needed 
and should be conducted together with environmental 
monitoring to locally delineate the role of temperature 
in deformities among fish species.
Fig. 4: The relation between total length (TL) and total 
body weight (TBM) in specimens of Lithognathus mor-
myrus from the northern Tunisian coast.
Sl. 4: Odnos med totalno dolžino telesa (TL) in tel-
esno težo (TBM) pri primerkih ovčice iz severne obale 
Tunizije.
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MORFIOLOŠKE DEFORMACIJE PRI OVČICI LITHOGNATHUS MORMYRUS 
(OSTEICHTHYES: SPARIDAE) IZ SEVERNO TUNIZIJSKIH VOD (OSREDNJE 
SREDOZEMSKO MORJE)
Sihem RAFRAFI-NOUIRA
Université de Carthage, Unité de Recherches Exploitation des Milieux aquatiques, Institut Supérieur de Pêche et d’Aquaculture de 
Bizerte, BP 15, 7080 Menzel Jemil, Tunisia
Christian REYNAUD & Christian CAPAPÉ
Laboratoire d’Ichtyologie, case 104, Université de Montpellier, 34 095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
e-mail: capape@univ-montp2.fr 
POVZETEK
Avtorji opisujejo anomalije v pobočnici in na hrbtenici, opažene na primerku ovčice Lithognathus mormyrus 
(Linnaeus, 1758), ujete ob severni obali Tunizije. Kljub tem deformacijam je primerek uspel živeti v naravi skupaj z 
drugimi, normalnimi primerki. Avtorji nadalje razpravljajo o izvoru teh anomalij. 
Ključne besede: Lithognathus mormyrus, hiperkifoza, lordoza, onesnaževanje okolja, odnos med dolžino in težo
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