Abstract
The ability of sea turtle hatchlings to survive into adulthood is related, in part, to their individual health status. Documenting a variety of health data is essential for assessing individual and population health. In this study, we report health indices for 297 green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings that emerged from 32 nests deposited on Juno Beach, Florida, USA in June–July, 2017. Results of physical examination, morphometrics, and infectious disease testing (chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5, ChHV5), and blood analyte reference intervals (hematology, plasma protein, glucose) are presented. Carapacial scute abnormalities were observed in 36% (108/297) of all hatchlings, including abnormal vertebral (86/297, 29%), lateral (72/297, 24%), and both vertebral and lateral (50/297, 17%) scutes. Hatchlings from nests laid in July, which was ~ 1.6 °C warmer than June, had significantly shorter incubation periods, and higher body mass, straight carapace length, body condition index, packed cell volume, and heterophil:lymphocyte ratios compared to hatchlings from nests laid in June. These results suggest that incubation temperatures are linked to hatchling developmental factors and size, nutritional and/or hydration status, and/or blood cell dynamics. Blood samples from all 297 hatchlings tested negative for ChHV5 DNA via quantitative PCR, including 86 hatchlings from the nests of 11 adult females that tested positive for ChHV5 via qPCR or serology in a separate study, lending support to the hypothesis that ChHV5 is horizontally (rather than vertically) transmitted among green turtles. Information resulting from this study represents a useful dataset for comparison to future health assessment and population monitoring studies of green turtle hatchlings in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by grants from the Sea Turtle Conservancy Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grants Program (17-036R); the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians’ Wild Animal Health Fund; and the Florida Save Our Seas License Plate Fund (GT-001572). The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded by proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate (www.helpingseaturtles.org). Sincere thanks to Meghan Koperski of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for assistance with permitting. We also thank the staff and volunteers of Loggerhead Marinelife Center for assistance with sample collection.
Funding
Sea Turtle Conservancy, 17-036R, Annie Page-Karjian, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 2017-4, Annie Page-Karjian, Florida Save Our Seas License Plate Fund ? Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, GT-001572, Annie Page-Karjian
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by AP-K, NS, AM, CC, and JP. The first draft of the manuscript was written by AP-K and all authors commented on subsequent versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Sample and data collection were conducted by authorized personnel under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Marine Turtle Permits 139 and 205. Sample use by Dr. Page-Karjian was reviewed and approved by the Florida Atlantic University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee under Animal Product Use protocol #A(T)16–02.
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Page-Karjian, A., Stacy, N.I., Morgan, A.N. et al. Morphologic and physiologic characteristics of green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings in southeastern Florida, USA. J Comp Physiol B 192, 751–764 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-022-01450-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-022-01450-9