Baseline blood biochemistry of Australian green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and effects of exposure to the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula

Arthur, K. E., Limpus, C. J. and Whittier, J. M. (2008) Baseline blood biochemistry of Australian green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and effects of exposure to the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. Australian Journal of Zoology, 56 1: 23-32.


Author Arthur, K. E.
Limpus, C. J.
Whittier, J. M.
Title Baseline blood biochemistry of Australian green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and effects of exposure to the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula
Journal name Australian Journal of Zoology  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2008
Sub-type Article
Year available 2008
DOI 10.1071/ZO08055
Volume number 56
Issue number 1
ISSN 0004-959X
Start page 23
End page 32
Total pages 10
Editor Peter Frappell
Phill Cassey
Mark Elgar
Place of publication Australia
Publisher CSIRO
Collection year 2009
Language eng
Subject C1
040599 Oceanography not elsewhere classified
Abstract Quantifying health in wild marine turtles is challenging because reptiles have characteristically wide-ranging normal reference values for many indicators of health and because of the shortage of population-specific baseline data for wild animals. We measured blood biochemistry profiles (calcium, magnesium, sodium, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Moreton and Shoalwater Bays, Australia, and compared them in relation to capture site, age, sex and exposure to harmful algal blooms of the toxic cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula. Turtles were considered to be clinically healthy when no external injuries or lesions were observed and there was no evidence of disease or emaciation. Differences in blood profiles were detected between sites, but not between age groups or sexes. Turtles that were exposed to L. majuscula generally had lower plasma glucose concentrations and decreased LDH activity, which may represent a metabolic downregulation resulting from food limitation. This study provides the first blood biochemistry reference values for green turtles in Queensland, Australia, that can be used in future assessments of green turtles in these foraging habitats.
Keyword TUMOR PROMOTERS
POTENTIAL ROLE
QUEENSLAND
FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS
BAY
TELEOCIDIN
DERMATITIS
RESPONSES
RECOVERY
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: 2009 Higher Education Research Data Collection
School of Biomedical Sciences Publications
 
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