Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences
Abstract
Seven Arctic fox puppies were found to have an extra claw (resembling a canine dewclaw) on their thoracic limb. These individuals came from 2 litters born of 2 different females. The "dewclaw" comprised a claw loosely connected with the limb by soft tissue, and it had the third phalanx (PIII) and a vestigial phalanx. Our results show that the presence of an extra claw on one or both hands in some Arctic fox puppies may, but does not have to, be a dominant trait. The differences between the 2 analyzed litters support the hypothesis that the mode of inheritance of the investigated trait in Arctic foxes could be more complex.
DOI
10.3906/vet-1004-275
Keywords
Polydactyly, thoracic limb, Vulpes lagopus
First Page
277
Last Page
280
Recommended Citation
GUGOLEK, A, STRYCHALSKI, J, & KONSTANTYNOWICZ, M (2011). Polydactyly in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus). Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences 35 (4): 277-280. https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-1004-275