I had an unexpected surprise while preparing a raccoon that resulted in an interesting new specimen for my collection. This animal exhibits a malformation called polydactyly, a rare condition characterized by one or more extra digits. The term polydactyly is drawn from the Greek words “polys” (which means “many”) and “daktylos" (which means “finger”). The condition is also referred to as hyperdactyly and it can affect one or more limbs. It’s a genetic mutation that occurs in a wide variety of animals, including humans. It’s an inherited birth defect, however a few domestic animals have been bred to exhibit this trait intentionally (like some varieties of chickens, dogs, and cats.) This is the first time I have encountered it in a wild animal in person so it was sort of exciting.
