Hematology and plasma biochemistries in the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in Lake County, Illinois

Abstract

Chelonians are one of the most imperiled vertebrate taxa on the planet due to changes in the environment, anthropogenic influences, and disease. Over the last two decades, conservation strategies including nest protection, head-starting and meso-predator control have been successfully adopted by the Lake County Forest Preserve District for a population of state-endangered Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in Illinois. Only recently have efforts expanded to assess the effects of management action on turtle health. The objectives of this study were to 1) establish reference intervals for 16 hematologic and plasma biochemical analytes in free-ranging Blanding’s turtles, 2) characterize demographic and temporal drivers of clinical pathology values including age class, sex, month, and year, and 3) describe bloodwork differences between a managed (SBCP) and unmanaged (IBSP) study site. Hematology and plasma biochemistries were performed for 393 turtles from 2017–18 at two sites in the Lake Plain region. Subject or population-based reference intervals were established based on the index of individuality per American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines. Analytes differed by age class [packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), total white blood cell counts (WBC), heterophils, lymphocytes, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L), total calcium (Ca), calcium:phosphorous (Ca:P), bile acids (BA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)], sex [H:L, Ca, phosphorus (P), Ca:P, creatine kinase (CK)], month [eosinophils, H:L, Ca, P, uric acid (UA), AST], and year [PCV, WBC, lymphocytes, basophils, H:L, Ca, P, UA]. Several analytes also varied by site [PCV, TS, monocytes, eosinophils, P, UA, AST], suggesting that health status may be affected by habitat management or lack thereof. The results of this study provide a baseline for ongoing health assessments in this region as well as across the Blanding’s turtle range.

Plasma electrophoresis profiles of Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) and influences of month, age, sex, health status, and location

“…Male radiated tortoises had higher relative alpha 2 globulins during winter sampling, and female eastern box turtles and radiated tortoises had higher absolute and relative beta globulin concentrations [ 4 , 67 ]. Consistent with a previous study in this population of Blanding’s, but contrary to several other studies in chelonians, there was no difference in total protein between the sexes [ 24 ]. Many of these findings may be confounded by the timing of our sampling, since it was concentrated during the breeding and nesting season.…”

“…The population of Blanding’s turtles that was studied showed a high degree of within-individual variability in EPH parameters at different points in time. This was also identified for hematologic and plasma biochemical parameters in the same population [ 24 ]. Reptile clinical pathology parameters are widely variable, and it is important to understand the many factors come together to influence the absolute value of each analyte.…”

“…Radiotelemetry is a three-part system using a radio transmitter, a radio antenna, and a radio receiver. The transmitter is attached to the turtle’s shell, which transmits a signal to the antenna and correlates to a beeping produced by the receiver that gets louder as the animal gets closer [ 23 , 24 ]. Hoop traps were placed in marsh waters and areas that were characteristic of Blanding’s habitat or locations near previous Blanding’s turtle capture sites.…”

“…Blanding’s turtles were deemed sexually mature at 750 grams and over by the Lake County Forest Preserve District (LCFPD) based on the lightest fertile female noted. This methodology is based on a previously published study by Mumm, et al [ 24 ]. Body fat percentage (FP) was calculated using a published calculation from the relationship of carapace length and mass [ 28 ].…”

Health Assessment of Wild Northern Diamond-Backed Terrapins (Malaclemys Terrapin Terrapin) in New Jersey, Usa

“…Such elevations in H:L ratios might be associated with inflammation, although no other findings indicative of inflammation were noted. In other species, increased concentration of glucose, TP, bile acids, and phosphate can be related to postprandial elevation (Espinoza-Romo et al 2018; Mumm et al 2019); therefore, these raised values may be associated with recent feeding. Note that many clinical pathology values have lognormal distribution in normal animals, and slightly elevated values in this study may actually fall within a normal reference range.…”