Spinal pathomorphological changes in the breeding giant salamander juveniles

Abstract

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus, Blanchard, 1871) is the largest amphibian on earth. While the number of the wild Chinese giant salamanders is declining and becoming a rare endangered species, breeding of giant salamander in China has launched since 1980s. However, scoliosis often occurs in the breeding giant salamander juveniles. To explore the pathomorphological changes and bone mineral density of the morbid breeding giant salamander, molybdenum–rhodium target X-ray photography and conventional histopathological analysis have been adopted to investigate the disease occurred in affected salamander juveniles. Vertebra, spinal core, vertebral foramen, paravertebral skeletal muscle, and other related parts were examined. The results showed that the bone mineral density in the body-curved giant salamander juveniles is significant lower compared to the peer normal controls (p > 0.05). In addition, spinal cord, spine, and its surrounding muscles were deformed in the diseased salamander.