scholarly journals Comprehensive health assessment of green turtles Chelonia mydas nesting in southeastern Florida, USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 21-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Page-Karjian ◽  
R Chabot ◽  
NI Stacy ◽  
AS Morgan ◽  
RA Valverde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Reference Intervals ◽  
Mortality Trends ◽  
Health Indices ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Comprehensive Health ◽  
Condition Indices

Important indicators of population health needed for large-scale sea turtle population recovery efforts include demographics, disease and mortality trends, condition indices, and baseline blood data. With this comprehensive health assessment of adult female green sea turtles Chelonia mydas nesting on Juno Beach, Florida, USA, we (1) established comprehensive baseline health indices; (2) identified individuals with evidence of infection by chelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 and 6 (ChHV5, ChHV6), which are implicated in fibropapillomatosis and respiratory and skin disease, respectively; and (3) compared measured health indices between turtles that did versus those that did not test positive for ChHV5 and/or ChHV6. All 60 turtles included in the study were in good body condition with no external fibropapillomatosis tumors. Hematological and biochemical reference intervals were established. Via quantitative PCR (qPCR), 5/60 turtles (8%) tested positive for ChHV5, and all turtles were negative for ChHV6. Of 41 turtles tested for antibodies to ChHV5 and ChHV6, 29% and 15% tested positive, respectively, and 10% tested positive for antibodies to both viruses. Notably, there were no statistically significant differences between health variables for nesting turtles that tested positive for ChHV5 DNA versus those that tested negative; and also no differences between turtles that tested positive for ChHV5 or ChHV6 antibodies and those that did not. This suggests that these viruses are enzootically stable in Florida’s adult green turtles. This study provides a health profile of nesting green turtles in southeastern Florida applicable to temporal and spatial investigations of this and other populations.

scholarly journals Plasma proteomics of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) reveals pathway shifts and potential biomarker candidates associated with health and disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David P Marancik ◽  
Justin R Perrault ◽  
Lisa M Komoroske ◽  
Jamie A Stoll ◽  
Kristina N Kelley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Protein Abundance ◽  
Plasma Samples ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Health And Disease

Abstract Evaluating sea turtle health can be challenging due to an incomplete understanding of pathophysiologic responses in these species. Proteome characterization of clinical plasma samples can provide insights into disease progression and prospective biomarker targets. A TMT-10-plex-LC–MS/MS platform was used to characterize the plasma proteome of five, juvenile, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and compare qualitative and quantitative protein changes during moribund and recovered states. The 10 plasma samples yielded a total of 670 unique proteins. Using ≥1.2-fold change in protein abundance as a benchmark for physiologic upregulation or downregulation, 233 (34.8%) were differentially regulated in at least one turtle between moribund and recovered states. Forty-six proteins (6.9%) were differentially regulated in all five turtles with two proteins (0.3%) demonstrating a statistically significant change. A principle component analysis showed protein abundance loosely clustered between moribund samples or recovered samples and for turtles that presented with trauma (n = 3) or as intestinal floaters (n = 2). Gene Ontology terms demonstrated that moribund samples were represented by a higher number of proteins associated with blood coagulation, adaptive immune responses and acute phase response, while recovered turtle samples included a relatively higher number of proteins associated with metabolic processes and response to nutrients. Abundance levels of 48 proteins (7.2%) in moribund samples significantly correlated with total protein, albumin and/or globulin levels quantified by biochemical analysis. Differentially regulated proteins identified with immunologic and physiologic functions are discussed for their possible role in the green turtle pathophysiologic response and for their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers. These findings enhance our ability to interpret sea turtle health and further progress conservation, research and rehabilitation programs for these ecologically important species.

The impact of fibropapillomatosis on clinical characteristics, blood gas, plasma biochemistry, and hematological profiles in juvenile green turtles ( Chelonia mydas)

2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-734
Author(s):  
Tsung-Hsien Li ◽  
Chao-Chin Chang
Keyword(s):  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Blood Gas ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor- forming disease that afflicts all marine turtles and is the most common in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). In this study, the morphometric characteristics, blood gas, biochemistry, and hematological profiles of 28 (6 FP-positive and 22 FP-negative) green turtles from the coast of Taiwan were investigated. The results indicated that body weight ( P < 0.001) and curved carapace length (CCL; P < 0.001) in green turtles with FP were significantly higher than in turtles without FP. Furthermore, green turtles with FP had a significantly lower value of hemoglobin (HB; P = 0.010) and packed cell volume (PCV; P = 0.005) than turtles without FP. Blood cell counts of white blood cells (WBC; P = 0.008) and lymphocytes ( P = 0.022) were observed with significant difference; green turtles with FP had lower counts than turtles without FP. In addition, turtles with FP had significantly higher pH ( P = 0.036), base excess in extracellular fluid (BEecf; P = 0.012), bicarbonate (HCO3– ; P = 0.008), and total carbon dioxide (TCO2 ; P = 0.025) values than turtles without FP. The findings of this study provide valuable clinical parameters for the medical care of the species in sea turtle rehabilitation centers and help us to understand the physiological response of green turtles to different tumor-forming conditions.

Influence of exercise and fasting on blood parameters in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas): implications for health assessments

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
D. March ◽  
E. Ariel ◽  
D. Blyde ◽  
L. Christidis ◽  
B.P. Kelaher
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Fasting State ◽  
Intense Exercise ◽  
Post Exercise ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Health Assessments ◽  
Lactate Levels

This study investigated the influence of exercise and fasting state on haematologic and biochemical parameters in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Animals were divided into two groups; one group was fasted for 72 h and one group was fed 1 h prior to exercise. Exercise was induced by repeated righting reflexes and blood values were measured prior to and post-exercise. Prior to exercise, fasted animals showed significantly decreased levels of urea, pH, PVCO2 and HCO3- and significant increases in Cl- and PVO2, compared to fed animals and fasted animals had significantly poorer exercise performance. Following exercise both fasted and fed animals had significant increases in Na+, K+, Cl-, PVCO2, PVO2, urea and lactate and significant decreases in pH and HCO3-. The magnitude of increase in lactate levels was significantly less in fasted animals. Prior to exercise, a significant correlation was calculated in fasted animals between pH and HCO3-. Following exercise, significant correlations were calculated in fed animals between pH and HCO3-, PVCO2 and lactate, and between pH and HCO3- in fasted animals. These results show that analytical method, fasting state and the physiologic changes induced during the intense exercise can affect haematologic and biochemical analytes and these factors should be considered when interpreting results from health assessment of wild animals.

scholarly journals ASPEK MORFOLOGI, REPRODUKSI, DAN PERILAKU PENYU HIJAU (Chelonia mydas) Di PANTAI PANGUMBAHAN, KABUPATEN SUKABUMI, JAWA BARAT

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Adriani Sri Nastiti Krismono ◽  
Achmad Fitriyanto ◽  
Ngurah Nyoman Wiadnyana
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Carapace Width ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Stratified Sampling ◽  
Hatching Rate ◽  
Brood Stock ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Nesting Season

Penyu hijau (Chelonia mydas) termasuk dalam phylum Chordata dan famili Cheloniideae. Jumlah penyu hijau yang singgah ke Pantai Pangumbahan untuk bertelur semakin menurun karena tidak terkendalinya masyarakat melakukan penangkapan induk penyu dan pengambilan telurnya. Penelitian tentang morfologi, reproduksi, dan perilaku penyu hijau sebagai salah satu dasar pengelolaan telah dilakukan di Pantai Pangumbahan pada bulan Agustus 2008. Metode penelitian yang digunakan pengambilan contoh berstrata. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada bulan Agustus 2008 (pada saat puncak peneluran). Parameter yang diamati antara lain ukuran penyu dari 89 ekor jumlah penyu bersarang, jumlah telur dan tingkat penetasan, serta perilaku pada saat penyu bertelur. Hasil penelitian menunjukan yang diamati diperoleh panjang karapas berkisar antara 97-15 cm dan lebar karapas 83,5-108 cm, jumlah penyu naik ke pantai 89 ekor dan penyu yang bertelur 39 ekor. Jumlah telur penyu hijau berhasil dihitung 80-105 butir per induk penyu. Bulan Agustus 2008 merupakan puncak musim peneluran. Kegiatan peneluran penyu hijau dibagi menjadi enam tahap. Upaya konservasi yang sudah dilakukan adalah penetasan telur penyu semi alami, restocking tukik, dan menjaga keamanan sarang telur penyu. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), including the phylum Chordata and families Cheloniideae. The number of green turtles come to lay eggs Pangumbahan beach to decline because of increasingly unmanageable public do making arrests turtles brood stock and their eggs. Research on the morphology, reproduction, and behavior of green turtles as one of the basic management has been conducted on the Pangumbahan Beach in August 2008. The method used stratified sampling. The experiment was conducted in August 2008 (at the peak of nesting). Other parameters were observed between the size of the 89 tail number of turtles nesting turtles, the number of eggs and hatching rate and behavior during turtle nesting. Results obtained showed that the observed length ranges from 97- 15 cm carapace and carapace width from 83.5-108 cm, the number went up to the beach 89 sea turtle and sea turtle nesting tail as much as 39 tails. The number of green turtle eggs had counted as many as 80-105 eggs per turtles brood stock. Month August 2008 is the peak nesting season of green turtle nesting activities are divided into six stages. Conservation efforts that have been done is semi natural turtle hatchery, restocking hatchlings, and nest of turtle eggs to maintain security.

Estimating past and present sex ratios of sea turtles in Suriname

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew H. Godfrey ◽  
N. Mrosovsky ◽  
R. Barreto
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Sand Temperature ◽  
Turtle Conservation ◽  
Sea Turtle Conservation

Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles in Suriname lay eggs over several months of the year. During this nesting season, changes in rainfall produce changes in sand temperature, which in turn influence the sexual differentiation of incubating sea turtle embryos. The overall sex ratio of leatherback and green sea turtle hatchlings produced at Matapica beach in Suriname was investigated. Estimates of the sex ratios of these turtles in 1993 (green turtles 63.8% female, leatherbacks 69.4% female) were roughly 10% more female-biased than those from an earlier study in 1982. For both species, a significant negative relationship was found between monthly rainfall and monthly sex ratios. Using this relationship and data on rainfall in the past, it was possible to estimate overall sex ratios for an additional 12 years. These estimates varied considerably among different years, ranging from 20 to 90% female in the case of green turtles. Nevertheless, males tended to be produced primarily in April and May, while some females were produced in all months. Such seasonal patterns of production of turtles of different sexes have implications for sea turtle conservation programs that involve manipulating or harvesting eggs.

scholarly journals The value of long-term, community-based monitoring of marine turtle nesting: a study in the Lamu archipelago, Kenya

Oryx ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike I. Olendo ◽  
Gladys M. Okemwa ◽  
Cosmas N. Munga ◽  
Lilian K. Mulupi ◽  
Lily D. Mwasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Incubation Duration

AbstractMonitoring of nesting beaches is often the only feasible and low-cost approach for assessing sea turtle populations. We investigated spatio-temporal patterns of sea turtle nesting activity monitored over 17 successive years in the Lamu archipelago, Kenya. Community-based patrols were conducted on 26 stretches of beach clustered in five major locations. A total of 2,021 nests were recorded: 1,971 (97.5%) green turtleChelonia mydasnests, 31 (1.5%) hawksbillEretmochelys imbricatanests, 8 (0.4%) olive ridleyLepidochelys olivaceanests and 11 (0.5%) unidentified nests. Nesting occurred year-round, increasing during March–July, when 74% of nests were recorded. A stable trend in mean annual nesting densities was observed in all locations. Mean clutch sizes were 117.7 ± SE 1 eggs (range 20–189) for green turtles, 103±SE 6 eggs (range 37–150) for hawksbill turtles, and 103±SE 6 eggs (range 80–133) for olive ridley turtles. Curved carapace length for green turtles was 65–125 cm, and mean annual incubation duration was 55.5±SE 0.05 days. The mean incubation duration for green turtle nests differed significantly between months and seasons but not locations. The hatching success (pooled data) was 81.3% (n = 1,841) and was higher for in situ nests (81.0±SE 1.5%) compared to relocated nests (77.8±SE 1.4%). The results highlight the important contribution of community-based monitoring in Kenya to sustaining the sea turtle populations of the Western Indian Ocean region.

Diet selection by immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Bahía Magdalena foraging ground in the Pacific Coast of the Baja California Peninsula, México

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 641-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milagros López-Mendilaharsu ◽  
Susan C. Gardner ◽  
Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez ◽  
Jeffrey A. Seminoff
Keyword(s):  
Baja California ◽  
Gastric Lavage ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Baja California Peninsula ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Turtle Conservation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Preferred Species ◽  
Conservation Plans

In order to determine if eastern Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) exhibit feeding preferences samples of recently ingested food items were compared to the food resources available in the marine environment where C. mydas congregates. Stomach samples were collected by conducting gastric lavage and, at the same time, vegetation transects were conducted during spring and winter. Green turtles in our study selectively consumed seaweeds, with Codium amplivesiculatum and Gracialaria textorii as preferred species. Differences in the consumption of species were found across the two mentioned seasons and were consistent with changes in the availability of different algae species in the environment. Based on these results, it is recommended that sea turtle conservation plans along the Baja California Peninsula include Pacific coastal mangrove channels with a high diversity of algae species as priority areas for protection.

Sea Turtle Navigation and the Detection of Geomagnetic Field Features

1998 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Lohmann ◽  
Catherine M. F. Lohmann
Keyword(s):  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Ocean Basin ◽  
Open Ocean ◽  
Continuous Series ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Open Sea ◽  
Circular Current ◽  
Distant Target

The lives of sea turtles consist of a continuous series of migrations. As hatchlings, the turtles swim from their natal beaches into the open sea, often taking refuge in circular current systems (gyres) that serve as moving, open-ocean nursery grounds. The juveniles of many populations subsequently take up residence in coastal feeding areas that are located hundreds or thousands of kilometres from the beaches on which the turtles hatched; some juveniles also migrate between summer and winter habitats. As adults, turtles periodically leave their feeding grounds and migrate to breeding and nesting regions, after which many return to their own specific feeding sites. The itinerant lifestyle characteristic of most sea turtle species is thus inextricably linked to an ability to orient and navigate accurately across large expanses of seemingly featureless ocean.In some sea turtle populations, migratory performance reaches extremes. The total distances certain green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and loggerheads (Caretta caretta) traverse over the span of their lifetimes exceed tens of thousands of kilometres, several times the diameter of the turtle's home ocean basin. Adult migrations between feeding and nesting habitats can require continuous swimming for periods of several weeks. In addition, the paths of migrating turtles often lead almost straight across the open ocean and directly to the destination, leaving little doubt that turtles can navigate to distant target sites with remarkable efficiency.

scholarly journals Incubation temperatures, hatching success and congenital anomalies in green turtle nests from Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-330
Author(s):  
Randy Calderón Peña ◽  
Julia Azanza Ricardo
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Anomalies ◽  
Green Turtle ◽  
Thermal Tolerance ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Hatching Success ◽  
Incubation Temperature ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Incubation Temperatures

Elevated incubation temperatures of sea turtle nests decrease hatching success and alter the resulting hatchlings' morphology. There is an absence of studies assessing the relationships between temperature and hatching success in Cuba, even when they could improve understanding the limits of thermal tolerance in these species. This study evaluated the influence of incubation temperature on hatching success and phenotypic malformations in green turtle hatchlings (Chelonia mydas); and analyzed the temporal variation in hatching success on the studied beaches. In 48 green turtles nests distributed along two beaches, incubation temperature and hatching success were recorded between 2014 and 2019. Increasing incubation temperature caused a decrease in the hatching success and an increase in the frequency of supernumerary scutes. Despite the elevated temperatures (average > 30°C), hatching was higher than 80%. Significant differences in hatching success were only observed among seasons for nests in Antonio Beach (lower values in 2016 and 2019 compared to 2014).

Seafinding By Hatchling Sea Turtles: Role of Brightness, Silhouette and Beach Slope as Orientation Cues

Behaviour ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 122 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 56-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Lucas ◽  
Michael Salmon ◽  
Elizabeth Fritz ◽  
Jeanette Wyneken
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Infrared Light ◽  
Beach Slope ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Orientation Cues

AbstractUpon emerging from underground nests, sea turtle hatchlings immediately crawl toward the ocean. The primary cues used in orientation are visual but the nature of the visual cues was a matter of speculation. Hatchlings might also respond to secondary cues, such as beach slope. Experiments were carried out in an arena where specific visual and slope cues, simulating those present at nest sites, could be precisely controlled and manipulated. Subjects were green turtle (Chelonia mydas L.) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta L.) hatchlings. Both species oriented toward the more intensely illuminated sections of the arena. They also oriented away from dark silhouettes which simulated an elevated horizon, typical of the view toward land. Turtles responded primarily to stimuli (both silhouettes and photic differences) at or near eye level. When presented simultaneously with a silhouette and a photic gradient located in different directions, hatchlings oriented away from the silhouette and ignored photic stimuli. Under infrared light, both species oriented down slopes. However in the presence of nocturnal levels of visible light loggerheads ignored slope cues and responses of green turtles to slope were weakened. The data suggest that loggerhead and green turtle hatchlings usually find the sea by orienting away from elevated silhouettes. This is a prominent and reliable cue for species which typically nest on continental beaches.

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