Researcher: 'Two-Mouthed' Trout Caused by Injury, Not Genetics

Researcher: 'Two-Mouthed' Trout Caused by Injury, Not Genetics

By Algis J. Laukaitis

Source: underwatertimes

2/8/2006

Clarence Olberding of Lincoln thought he had the catch of the day when he hooked a trout with two mouths. But a Harvard University researcher who examined the severed fish head said the unusual deformity was caused by an injury and not a genetic mutation.

“Our preliminary analysis of the ‘two-mouthed’ trout revealed that the condition was caused by an injury to the fish earlier in its life, rather than a genetic repeat or other mutation,” wrote James Lee, a research fellow at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Lee said it appeared that a muscle in the trout’s mouth was severed in the past, causing thin membranes between the lower jaw bone and the floor of the mouth to split. He said that caused the floor of the mouth to drop.

“This gives the appearance of two jaws. It also results in the fish having no practical floor to its mouth,” Lee wrote in an e-mail.

Despite the odd condition, Lee wrote, the trout appeared to be in good health and was able to live, feed and grow to adult size. The fish came from a Nebraska fish hatchery.

Olberding, 57, caught the unusual trout at Holmes Lake in December. The trout had a normal mouth and another one below it that led nowhere. He snapped photos of the fish and then cut off the head and put both pieces in the freezer.

Holmes Lake

Trout, Rainbow

Continue...

News Id		Source	Stamp	country
4051	Mysterious situation in Coconut Grove as thousands of expensive fish suddenly die outside several homes	local10	2021-05-01	US
4052	Woman rescues fish from library pond	CTV Winnipeg	2013-10-12	CA
4053	New Species of Giant Fish Arapaima Discovered in Brazil	sci-news	2013-10-11	BZ
4054	Absurd Creature of the Week: The Half-Ton Giant Freshwater Stingray With a 15-Inch Poison Barb	wired	2013-09-27	US
4055	X-rays reveal Snake River sturgeon eating tackle	spokesman	2013-09-30	US
4056	Giant tower in the shape of a puffer fish creates online uproar in China	abc	2013-09-27	CN
4057	12-foot sturgeons possible in James River, scientist says	richmond	2013-09-28	US
4058	Snake versus fish: Moment serpent reared up from pond to sink its fangs into hapless perch	Daily Mail	2013-09-25	BG
4059	Record Breaking Salmon Harvest This Year in Alaska	kdlg	2013-09-23	US
4060	Record run leads to relaxation of last Columbia salmon fishing rules	Oregon Live	2013-09-24	US
4061	Goldfish feared dead in house fire found alive in his pond after living for TWO YEARS with no fresh food or light	dailymail	2013-09-19	UK
4062	Fishing Published May 4 Texas fisherman catches 876-pound record-breaking fish	Fox News	2021-05-04	US
4063	Tons Of Dead Fish Leaving ‘Unbearable Smell’ At Jersey Shore	wobm	2021-05-10	US
4064	Facing Lockdown at Sea	hakaimagazine	2021-05-07	CA
4065	Global effort to save dwindling ocean fish faces moment of truth	ajot	2021-05-03	US
4066	Angler turns cowboy, jumps in and rides giant Mola mola	petethomasoutdoors	2013-08-02	US
4067	Belarus leader beats Putin's pike with man-sized catfish	theobserver	2013-07-31	CA
4068	Marine experts: Gulf of Maine has become a cod-forsaken place, endangering all fisheries	bangordailynews	2013-07-31	US
4069	San Diego angler still fishing at 90, catches giant yellowtail	petethomasoutdoors	2013-07-25	US
4070	Fish-farm firm awarded $75,000 in defamation ruling	theglobeandmail	2013-07-22	CA
4071	Cut Off From the Ocean by a Volcanic Eruption, These Fish Had to Learn to Live in a Lake	hakaimagazine	2021-05-03	US
4072	At least 3.8 million fish killed by winter weather on Texas coast	brownwood news	2021-05-04	US
4073	Seaspiracy Producer Demands Biden Shut Down Fish Factory Farms	vegnews	2021-05-06	US
4074	Does ocean acidification alter fish behavior? Fraud allegations create a sea of doubt	sciencemag	2021-05-06	AU
4075	Combined effort to protect rarest native fish	odt	2013-07-08	NZ

162 of [222 - pages.]