Abstract

Due to the specimen size and time needed for flensing skeletal parts, osteological examinations of killer whales are not a common part of the routine necropsy examination. However, for over a century, museums have been collecting bones for curated collections. Because of the stability of preserved bone, these tissues can provide valuable insight into species health and disease as well as defining normal variation. A total of 173 cases were composed of 97 partial skeletons and 76 mostly (>75%) complete skeletons from 29 institutions in North America and Europe. Changes in bones were categorized as variations in normal morphology (incidental change), traumatic, congenital, degenerative, and inflammatory. Variations in normal morphology of the sternum or cervical vertebral fusion pattern were identified in 83 cases. Twenty-two cases of trauma included both acute and chronic fractures with non-healing fractures noted in 4 cases. Congenital changes included one case of prognathia and 6 cases with cervical ribs. Arthritic proliferative and degenerative changes were noted in many specimens and more common in older animals. Irregular periosteal proliferation was identified in two cases - one case involving ribs and the other most of the vertebral column. These results demonstrate the environmental and human impacts on killer whales. Osteologic examination should be considered as part of the routine necropsy examination of killer whales.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the too many to mention curators, biologists, and workers of all types that maintain these repositories and helped me along the way in this project.

* Presenting author