First record of saddleback syndrome in wild species, <i>Etroplus suratensis </i> (Bloch, 1790) from the southeast coast of India

Abstract

Saddleback syndrome is represented by a crescent-shaped indentation on the dorsal surface, lack of few anterior dorsal spines and their associated pterygiophores and deformed neural spines in the affected fish. These abnormalities have been considered as an important indicator of environmentally induced stress of the wild fishes. Hence the present finding highlights the need for the closer monitoring of marine environment and to relate the specific factor which causes these abnormalities in fishes.