Weights and Blood Profiles of the West African Hinge‐Backed Tortoise,Kinixys erosaand the Desert Tortoise,Gopherus agassizii

Abstract

The body weight and blood profile were determined in the adult wild West African hinge-backed tortoise, Knkys emsa and the adult wild desert tortoise, Gopherus agassiei kept under identical environmental conditions. A comparison between sexes showed the male X emsa had significantly higher packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration and lower body weight and plasma alkaline phosphatase values than the female, while no significant sex differences appeared in these parameters in G. uga.rsi @. The haematological parameters and plasma levels of electrolytes, enzymes, proteins and metabolites did not differ significantly between the two species, suggesting that the blood values of X emu resembled those of G ugassiei under identical environmental conditions.

Morphological characterization of the blood cells in the endangered Sicilian endemic pond turtle,Emys trinacris(Testudines: Emydidae)

“…(p > 0.05), failing in an attempt to use the erythrocyte size as a discriminator between species of the same Emydinae subfamily. The higher number of red blood cells observed in males of E. trinacris than in females is similar to the findings in other turtles such as E. orbicularis (Duguy 1967) and Kinixys erosa (Schweigger, 1812) (Oyewale et al 1998). The higher number of red blood cells found in males may depend on testosterone hormone levels.…”

“…The higher number of red blood cells found in males may depend on testosterone hormone levels. In fact, testosterone, when present in chelonians (Paitz & Bowden 2013), is able to increase the number of erythrocytes (Fried & Gurney 1965;Pati & Thapliyal 1984;Oyewale et al 1998).…”

Reference values for hematology and plasma biochemistry variables, and protein electrophoresis of healthy Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermannissp.)

“…Although these observations are anecdotal, clinicians are advised to use caution in venipuncturing the subcarapacial vein and to prioritize less invasive sites. T hermanni HCT and HGB concentration were significantly higher in males than in females, as reported in the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii . In analogy with mammals, we hypothesize that this is related to an effect of testosterone.…”