Prevalence and Levels of Parasitemia of Hepatozoon sp. (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) in Four Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Populations of South FLORIDA, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 654
Author(s):  
Brian T. Cooney ◽  
Dana Elhassani ◽  
Arafat Bari ◽  
Jessica Huffman ◽  
Evelyn Frazier
Keyword(s):  
South Florida ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus

scholarly journals A Survey of Gopherus polyphemus Intestinal Parasites in South Florida

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica N. Huffman ◽  
Kent S. Haizlett ◽  
Dana K. Elhassani ◽  
Brian T. Cooney ◽  
Evelyn M. Frazier
Keyword(s):  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Intestinal Parasites ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus ◽  
Significant Health

Gopherus polyphemus populations are diminishing throughout their range due to urbanization, fragmentation, and poor habitat management. Increased population densities, poor habitat quality, and lack of fire may influence disease transmission. Parasite roles within wild tortoise populations are largely unknown; despite evidence these pathogens may pose significant health risks. This study provides a baseline of gopher tortoise intestinal parasites across South Florida and reports on how varying environmental and tortoise characteristics may affect intestinal parasite species prevalence and approximate loads. Tortoise fecal samples were taken from six tortoise populations across five South Florida sites. Seven species of intestinal parasites were discovered from 123 tortoises. Identified parasites include endohelminths such as cyathostomes, pinworms, ascarids, flukes, and protozoans including Eimeria, Cryptosporidium, and Amoeba species. Significant differences in parasite prevalence and loads were seen between sites, while parasitism among sex, size class, and habitat type remained relatively ubiquitous.

scholarly journals Comprehensive health assessment and blood analyte reference intervals of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southeastern FL, USA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Page-Karjian ◽  
Kathleen Rafferty ◽  
Clerson Xavier ◽  
Nicole I Stacy ◽  
Jon A Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Protein ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Reference Intervals ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Mycoplasma Spp

Abstract The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), a keystone species, is declining throughout its geographic range. Lack of knowledge with respect to the potential infectious diseases present within wild populations creates a dilemma for wildlife biologists, conservationists and public policy makers. The objective of this study was to conduct a health assessment of two previously unstudied gopher tortoise aggregations located at two sites in southeastern FL. Samples were collected from 91 tortoises (48 adults, 35 juveniles, 8 hatchlings) captured at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, in Fort Pierce, FL, USA in 2019, and Loggerhead Park in Juno Beach, FL, USA, during 2018–2019. Samples of blood, nasal swabs and oral/cloacal swabs were analyzed for hematology, plasma protein electrophoretic profiles and infectious disease testing including Mycoplasma spp. serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for Ranavirus, Herpesvirus and Anaplasma spp. Hematological and plasma protein electrophoresis reference intervals are presented for adult and juvenile tortoises from both sites combined. Clinical signs consistent with upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) were observed in 18/91 (20%) tortoises, and antibodies to Mycoplasma agassizii were detected in 33/77 (42.9%) tortoises. Adult tortoises were significantly more likely than juveniles to have URTD clinical signs, and statistically significant, positive relationships were observed between the presence of antibodies to Mycoplasma spp. and carapace length, packed cell volume and plasma globulin concentrations. Anaplasma spp. inclusions were observed in 8/82 (10%) tortoises, but PCR detected Anaplasma sp. in 21/83 (25%) tortoises. Herpesvirus and Ranavirus were not detected in any blood or swab samples. This work contributes important baseline information on the health of gopher tortoises toward the southern end of the species’ range.

scholarly journals Stopped Dead in Their Tracks: The Impact of Railways on Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Movement and Behavior

Copeia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhett M. Rautsaw ◽  
Scott A. Martin ◽  
Bridget A. Vincent ◽  
Katelyn Lanctot ◽  
M. Rebecca Bolt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Endozoochory of Chrysobalanus icaco (Cocoplum) by Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) facilitates rapid germination and colonization in a suburban nature preserve

AoB Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn J Hanish ◽  
Sebastian Velez ◽  
Jon A Moore ◽  
Corey Devin Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Spatial Density ◽  
Event Analysis ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus ◽  
Nature Preserve ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Dispersal Agents

Abstract Some large-seeded plants lack effective seed dispersal agents when they are introduced as ornamental plants to new areas, but can rapidly colonize a landscape if seed dispersal functions are restored. We examined whether Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) facilitated the spread of Chrysobalanus icaco (Cocoplum; Chrysobalanaceae) over a 14-year period in a suburban nature preserve (in Jupiter, FL, USA) by: (i) comparing germination patterns among gut-passed, hand-depulped and whole fruit treatments, and (ii) testing hypotheses about environmental predictors of the spatial distribution of C. icaco, including information about G. polyphemus movement pathways and burrow locations. While we did not find a significant difference in the total proportion of C. icaco seeds that germinated in each treatment, time to event analysis revealed that seeds that were found in faeces germinated significantly earlier than seeds that were hand-depulped or that were planted as whole fruits, supporting a lone scarification effect. Point process modeling revealed that the density of C. icaco bushes was higher near G. polyphemus movement pathways and was lower inside Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto) patches, supporting a positive effect of tortoise movement patterns on plant distributions. The density of C. icaco increased from west to east, consistent with westward dispersal from the four founder bushes on the east side of the study area. After removal of outliers, we also detected a negative association between C. icaco spatial density and G. polyphemus burrow density that was presumably explained by the fact that seeds defecated deep within burrows were unlikely to germinate and establish without secondary movement. The results suggest that G. polyphemus contributed to the rapid dispersal of C. icaco by scatter dispersal of seeds (via faeces) in areas where tortoises were active and that movement pathways provided suitable conditions for colonization. The spread of C. icaco by G. polyphemus over a relatively short period of time provides a valuable window into the earliest stages of the colonization process and further supports the role of Chelonians as effective seed dispersal agents for large-seeded plants.

The Laminal Spurs of the Juvenile Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus (Daudin)

Copeia ◽  
1957 ◽  
Vol 1957 (4) ◽  
pp. 307
Author(s):  
Wilfred T. Neill ◽  
E. Ross Allen
Keyword(s):  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus

Paecilomyces lilacinus Pneumonia in a Free-Ranging Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, in Louisiana

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orlando Diaz-Figueroa ◽  
Mark A. Mitchell ◽  
Samuel Ramirez ◽  
Wael Hananeh ◽  
Dae-Young Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Paecilomyces Lilacinus ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Gopherus Polyphemus ◽  
Free Ranging
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