|
The interesting thing is that , despite knowledge of this condition occurring in hundreds of species , there has been little progress as yet in unlocking its cause . Biologist consensus is that it is in some way genetic , since the deformity shares the same general progression and appearance regardless of species .
Despite their “ ugly ” appearance , anglers can attest that pugheaded bass are still able to feed effectively , and studies have shown that they can also effectively spawn . If you catch one , appreciate it for the oddity it is , but rest assured that it ’ s not an indicator of ecosystem health , nor is it contagious .
|
|
|
|
Spinal Deformities
Technically referred to as “ lordosis ,” “ kyphosis ” or “ scoliosis ” depending on where and how the deformity occurs along the spinal column , spinal deformities are common in both largemouth and smallmouth bass . Anglers often call them “ humpbacks ” and sometimes mistakenly assume that the damage is caused by mishandling or by physical manipulation of the bass .
In reality , there are a number of conditions that are suspected to cause spinal deformities including genetic mutation , contaminant concentrations in the water and even man-made interactions like the electric lamprey weirs in Great Lakes tributaries .
As one can imagine , it ’ s hard enough for a bass fry to make it to adulthood ( which is why they have so many eggs to begin with ), so if a bass with a significant spinal aberration makes it to adulthood , you can bet it had to work hard to get there .
Melanosis
Pretty much every serious bass angler has likely caught a bass that exhibited dark blotches across its body . Anglers sometimes call these “ birth marks ,” mistakenly assuming bass are born with those darker patches .
This common condition is called “ melanosis ” and is found in all species of bass , as well as in other fish species . Like pugheadedness , fisheries biologists have yet to unlock the specific cause of melanosis , but recent research suggests that the areas of higher melanin concentration are closely correlated to an increased local immune response – meaning that , similar to how the skin around a mosquito bite swells up and discolors , the blotches possibly are caused by the fish ’ s immune response to a viral threat .
Another interesting thing about melanosis is that research indicates larger fish more commonly exhibit the condition , and a recent study in Pennsylvania showed that the blotches also change in size and shape over time , further suggesting that it ’ s a skin response to external factors .
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FLWFISHING . COM 21