Schlumbergcr and Lucki — Tumors in Fishes 



697 



chromatin. The authors identified the growth as a 

 fibroma. 



Pick and Poll, 1903: An elliptical tumor, 14 x 10 x 

 6 cm., was found to be broadly sessile on the testide of 

 a Japanese giant salamander, Megalobatrackus maxi- 

 miu. The tumor contained many cysts, some of which 

 were as large as an apple. Two firm gray nodules, I cm. 

 in diameter, were present near the middle and at the 

 lower pole of the testicle. Histologically the cysts were 

 lined by pleomorphic epithelial cells that formed papil- 

 lary projections into the cyst cavities. The two smaller 

 masses consisted of small alveoli, clumps, and strands 

 of neoplastic cells that were occasionally found free in 

 vascular spaces; in one area direct invasion of a vein 

 could be demonstrated. The authors identified the 

 tumor as a testicular carcinoma showing vascular in- 

 vasion and local metastasis. 



MuRKAY, 1908: An adenocarcincMna arose in the skin 

 glands of a newt, Triton crisUUus, appearing as a mam- 

 millated mass at the angle of the jaw, and as nodules 

 scattered over the tail. The {Mts seen on the surface 

 of the tumors led into tubules that passed through the 

 epidermal layer of the skin. The neoplasms had their 

 origin in the epithelium of the dermal glands; the cells 

 were pleomorphic, and arranged to form solid sheets, 

 acmi, or tubules. The surrounding tissue was not in- 

 vaded, therefore the author suggested that perhaps the 

 tumors were benign. Nevertheless, throughout his de- 

 scription he refers to them as carcinomas. 



Krontovsky, 1916: In an axolotl Siredon mexican- 

 um, the author found a "malignant chromatophoroma." 

 It was composed of at>-pical cutaneous melanophorcs 

 which were undergoing active proliferation and invad 

 ing the neighboring tissues. Finkelstein (51), who 

 cited this case, points out that the tumor-bearing animal 

 was found at Kiev in 1916, (See also the comments of 

 Brunst [186al). During the years 1920-1930 there were 

 in the aquarium of the Kiev Roentgenological Institute 

 axolotls with a hereditary tendency to melanoma. 

 Finkelstein suggests that perhaps these animals are pro- 

 geny of the original mutant described by Krontovsky. 



SCHWAR2, 1923: On the forefoot of a Japanese giant 

 salamander Megalobatrackus maximus the author found 

 a pedunculated, almost spherical tumor that measured 

 2 cm. in diameter. Histologically, it was covered by 

 stratified squamous epithelium, but the bulk of the 

 tumor was composed of dense interlacing bundles of 

 connective tissue; nuclei were not abundant. The neo- 

 plann was rather well vascularixed and showed no evi- 

 dence of malignancy. 



Champy and Cbampy, 1932 and 1935: Studied a 

 casdnoma of the tldn in Tritom aipestrU, wludi was 

 traimnfariMe to other newts of the same spedea. In 

 1931 the authors observed that 3 out of 5 newts kept 

 in one tank simultaMously developed cirtancous ttmors, 

 which were found to be carcinomas compoacd of cylin- 

 drical and polyhedral cells often arranfed as aQfpkal 

 glands. The tumors infiltrated the adjacent tisMt. The 

 3 tumor-bearing animals were removed from the tank 

 (the water of which was not chanced) and replaced by 

 8 other newts belonging to 3 different species. These 

 remained in the "contaminated" tank ior one month 

 and were then replaced by another grotqi of 8 animals 

 which remained in the contaminated tank for a month 

 and were then replaced by another group of 8 animab. 

 After lyi to 2 years, 3 of the 4 in the first groiq> of 

 newts belonging to the homologous species T. aipestris 

 developed tumors; individuals of other species were 

 not affected. No tumors developed in the animals placed 

 in the contaminated tank after the first month. Frag- 

 ments of the tumor were inoculated subcutaneously into 

 several newts ; most of the animals died, but, in several, 

 tumors were found about 2 years later at some distance 

 from the site of inoculation. The authors bdieve that 

 the experiments indicate the existence of a carcinogenic 

 virus. 



Shekemetieva-Brunst and Brunst, 1948: Among 

 hundreds of axolotls Siredon mexuanum the authors 

 in 1932 found a male and a female of the gray variety 

 that had minute black spots on the sides of thdr bodies. 

 These gradually increased in siae and progressed to mda- 

 notic tumors. The animab were mated and in succ ess i ve 

 generations a number of tumor-bearing animals were 

 obtained. The tumors usually appeared first as melano- 

 tic areas in the skin at the end of the first year of life. 

 Some of these p r o g r e ss ed to tumors, and reached a 

 diameter of several centimeters. The tumors sometimes 

 remained circumscribed, but sometimes invaded the 

 surrounding muscle and connective tissue. The cell of 

 origin appeared to be the melanophore which is nornully 

 present in the corium. Histologically the growths re- 

 sembled the melanomas of hybrid killifishes (q.v.). The 

 tumor was found to be transplantable to other axolotls. 

 either gray or albino. The Brunsts regard this melanoma 

 as arising on a genetic basis. 



ANURA 



A considerable variety of spontaneous tumors 

 have been recorded in frogs of several genera and 



Tabu 22: Toifou at Tiflad AaphibUM (Ommus) 



Specie* TuBHW - .**• 



Giant salamander Megalobatraekus mtimu Fibroma Sabcatanaoos 



•< '< Megahbairaehus msximmt Carcinoma Tastlda 



Crested newt Triton crisMus Adaaocarcinoma SUa ^aads 



Axolotl Sired4m mexieanum lidanoma Subctitaiieoos 



Giant salamander it0galobatrackus m^Hmms Fibroma Subcutaneout 



Alpine newt TrUon alpestru (3) Carcinoma Skio 



Axdotl SirtdoH mtxicaHum (rnanv^ Melanoma Skin 



AallMM 



VailUnt ft rettit. 1402 

 Pick k Pon. 1903 

 If amy, 1908 

 Krontovsky. 1916 

 Schwart, 1923 

 Champy k Chaaapy, 1933 

 SlMrMMtkva>Bnttst ft 

 Bf«ast.lM8 



