Abstract
High energy demands and transition to a catabolic state pose physiological challenges for sea turtles during the nesting season. The objectives of this study were to assess blood gas analytes and lactate in loggerhead sea turtles (Cc; n=49) and green sea turtles (Cm; n=24) for establishment of reference intervals, for correlation of analytes with morphometrics (minimum curved carapace length [CCLmin] and width [CCW]) and nest deposition date, for species comparison, and, in Cc, for correlation of duration from emergence to blood sampling. Blood samples were collected after at least 50% oviposition and were immediately analyzed via CG4+ cartridges using a VetScan i-STAT 1 (Abbott Point of Care Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, USA) point-of-care analyzer. Reference intervals were established.1-3 Only lactate significantly increased with increasing CCLmin in Cc. In Cc, pH significantly declined across the nesting season, while lactate increased. No seasonal trends were observed for Cm. Cc had higher partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), while Cm had higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), bicarbonate (HCO3), and total carbon dioxide (TCO2); no differences in pH or lactate were observed. There were no relationships of blood analytes between time from emergence to blood collection in Cc. The results of this study provide insight into the acid-base balance during physically challenging activities of nesting Cc and Cm, demonstrate the importance of merging the biology of sea turtles and veterinary medicine for the best possible interpretation of data, and provide relevance for clinical evaluations during health assessment studies and stranding responses.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Loggerhead Marinelife Center team for technical assistance. This work was conducted under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Marine Turtle Permit #205.
*Presenting author
+Student presenter
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