Neurofibromatosis, von Recklinghausen's disease, multiple schwannomas, malignant schwannomas. Multiple schwannomas in the bicolor damselfish, pomacentrus partitus (Pisces, Pomacentridae)

The bicolor damselfish (Pomacentrus partitus) is a small species of fish common to coral reef and rocky habitats throughout the Caribbean. On certain reefs in South Florida 5-10% of adults in populations of this species exhibit multicentric, disseminated schwannomas. The etiology of these tumors is unknown. Bacterial or fungal agents have not been found associated with these tumors, and preliminary electron-microscopic surveys have not revealed any viral particles in tumor cells. However, epizootiologic investigations on the distribution of fish with tumors in natural populations are suggestive of an infectious cause.