Deformity

A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major abnormality in the shape of a body part or organ compared to the normal shape of that part.

A deformed sucker cluster on an arm of an octopus
Female hand showing deformity due to x-ray burns. The inflammation is due to excessive radiation, which occurs when x-ray machines are unshielded.

Causes

Deformity may arise from numerous causes:

Deformity can occur in non-humans, as well. Frogs can be mutated due to Ribeiroia (Trematoda) infection.

Mortality

In many cases in which a major deformity is present at birth, it is the result of an underlying condition severe enough that the baby does not survive very long. The mortality of severely deformed births may be due to a range of complications including missing or non-functioning vital organs, structural defects that prevent breathing or eating, and high susceptibility to injuries, abnormal facial appearance, or infections that lead to death.

In mythology

Mythological creatures may have been created due to a deformative syndrome also, for instance, descriptions of mermaids may be related to the symptoms of sirenomelia. The Irish Mythology includes the Fomorians, who are almost without exception described as being deformed, possessing only one of what most have two of (eyes, arms, legs, etc.) or having larger than normal limbs.

gollark: Idea: regular screen, keyboard and mouse, but in virtual reality so you can have arbitrarily large amounts of monitors.
gollark: So what's the "issue" then, "optics"?
gollark: Maybe it would work better with a higher-res phone, who knows.
gollark: Well, it's a mildly cool but pointless thing, yes.
gollark: The last one was at someone's house, but the VR thing was some sort of "lab" environment with lots of random things in it, I don't remember much.

See also

References
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