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The bone histology of oarfish dorsal spines shows hyperostotic growth used to aid in locomotion

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Hyperostoic growth is the overgrowth of bone stemming from bone itself. This event has been documented in several specimen of oarfish that have washed up on the coast of California. Hyperossified pterygiophores have been discovered to run along the entire dorsal length of oarfish. The function of this is to both provide structural support to the spine of oarfish during undulations (tail movement used for locomotion) and to remodel spines to prevent stress fractures that could occur from too much movement.