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Twin foetuses in an Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) stranded on the coast of Scotland, UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2016

Nicholas J. Davison ,
Mariel T. I. Ten Doeschate ,
Mark P. Dagleish ,
Fiona L. Read ,
Robert J. Reid ,
Geoffrey Foster ,
Andrew Brownlow  and
Jason Barley
Nicholas J. Davison*
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
Mariel T. I. Ten Doeschate
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
Mark P. Dagleish
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Edinburgh, Scotland EH26 0PZ, UK
Fiona L. Read
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, Oceanlab, Main Street, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland AB41 6AA, UK
Robert J. Reid
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
Geoffrey Foster
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
Andrew Brownlow
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
Jason Barley
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to:N.J. Davison, Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland IV2 4JZ, UK email: nick.davison@sruc.ac.uk
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Abstract

The present study is the first record of twinning in Lagenorhynchus acutus and indeed any Lagenorhynchus sp. Both foetuses were male and located in the left uterine horn, had distinct grossly normal placentas and amniotic sacs, and were therefore likely dizygotic twins. The twins were an incidental finding in an animal that died of a systemic Brucella ceti infection.

Keywords

Lagenorhynchus acutustwinsScottish Marine Animal Stranding SchemeUK
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 96 , Issue 4: Marine Mammals , June 2016 , pp. 841 - 844
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2016 

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