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Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 56(1)

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

Karen E. Arthur A B F , Colin J. Limpus C and Joan M. Whittier D E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, 701 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, USA.

C Environmental Protection Agency, PO Box 155, Brisbane, Qld 4002, Australia.

D Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia.

E School of Medical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: arthur@si.edu

Australian Journal of Zoology 56(1) 23-32 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08055
Submitted: 15 May 2008  Accepted: 8 June 2008   Published: 29 July 2008

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.


Acknowledgements

This research was undertaken in accordance with animal ethics permits BOT/450/01/QPWS/ UQP, SQAEEC Project 10, and GBRMPA/State Marine Parks Permit G00/240. The authors acknowledge the assistance of all Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Queensland Turtle Research Program volunteers that helped catch turtles during this study. We thank the University of Queensland Veterinary Diagnostic Services for blood biochemistry analysis, S. McMaster for access to captive turtles and T. Curruthers and C. Lovelock for statistical advice. We thank the three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on this manuscript. Funding for this research was generously contributed by Australian Geographic, the University of Queensland, GBRMPA, Seaworld Research and Rescue Foundation, the Healthy Waterways Partnership and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.


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