A temporary tail-like structure is a common feature of embryonic development, but doctors in Egypt have reported a rare case of a 10cm-long pseudo-tail that stuck around full term.

The one-month-old boy presented to the Assiut University Children’s Hospital with his parents complaining of a “tall skin appendage” protruding from the lower back since birth.

The case doctors described it as a “10cm tubular structure with rounded freely mobile distal end with no hard bony content”, located 5cm from the anal verge and proximal to the natal cleft.

The infant was normally developed with no other malformations.