Introduction. Baastrup's sign, also referred to as âkissing spinesâ, is a common disorder of the vertebral column characterized by close approximation and contact of the spinous processes of two adjacent vertebrae, resulting in the formation of a new joint between them (Baastrup, 1936 and Sartoris et al., 1985).. Baastrup's sign, also referred to as âkissing spinesâ, is a common disorder of the vertebral column characterized by close approximation and contact of the spinous processes of two adjacent vertebrae, resulting in the formation of a new joint between them (Baastrup, 1936 and Sartoris et al., 1985).
The most likely theory though is that the name comes from the Old English word for sea-floor shark: hurse. Nurse sharks are slow-moving bottom-dwellers and are, for the most part, harmless to humans. However, they can be hugeâup to 14 feet (4.3 meters)âand have very strong jaws filled with thousands of tiny, serrated teeth, and will bite defensively if stepped on or bothered by divers who assume theyâre docile.
The most likely record holder is the dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi), males of which measure a total length of 16-17.5 cm (6.3-6.8 in) (with one confirmed male adult specimen collected measuring 19 cm or 7.4 in long), and mature females of which are typcially 19-20 cm (7.4-7.8 in).ue to the difficulties in determining precisely when a small species is sexually mature (i.e. an adult and fully grown), there are two, possibly three, contenders for the smallest spieces of shark.