Ocean Surgeon Acanthurus bahianus <Click on image for magnified view.>     Skin (100x). a) muscle. b) dermis. c) scale (ctenoid type). d) epidermis. The skin is often the sight of pathology in fishes, since its role is a barrier to the environment and the pathogenic challenges therein. Most often, skin pathology can be determined by microscopic study of scrapings, however internal or systemic conditions that lead to skin pathology may only be observed in histological sections.

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