tortuga amazonica

8/9/2019 Tortuga Amazonica

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1- DVM, MSc – Veterinary Medicine – Intitute of Biology andNature – Federal University of Acre – Acre/Brazil

2- DVM – Veterinary Autonomous

GENDER COMPARISSON ON BIOCHEMICAL VALUES OFCOMMERTIAL CAPTIVE AMAZON FRESHWATER TURTLE

(Podocnemis expansa )

COMPARACIÓN DE LOS ÍNDICES BIOQUÍMICOS ENTRE LOSDIFERENTES GÉNEROS DE LA TORTUGA AMAZÓNICACRIADOS EN CAUTIVIDAD (Podocnemis expansa)

Amorim-Lucena, S.¹; Medeiros-Santos, L.¹; Oliveira-Ciccinato, A.²; Souza-Figueiredo, S.¹;Carvalho-Karaccas, Y.¹

AbstractIn attempt to support conservation projects and to evaluate captive populationsunder disease risk, this study intends to report the gender influence onbiochemical values from P. expansa. Forty blood samples (19 males and 21

females) of adult P. expansa were collected from a commercial farm in RioBranco, Acre (Brazil). The plasma samples were subjected to analysis of urea,creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)and total protein levels. The biochemical results were submitted to descriptivestatistics to determinate the mean, standard deviation and range of variation(MIN, MAX). The biochemical levels presented in this study are essential tocreate a guideline on normal values. As reported previously there was nodifference among female and male biochemical values. It is important toemphasize that our study used a higher number of animals, with two groupscomprising similar number of females and males.Key-words: Biochemical values; Podocmenis expansa

ResumenEn un intento por apoyar proyectos de conservación y para evaluar laspoblaciones cautivas bajo riesgo de enfermedad, este estudio tiene la intenciónde informar sobre la influencia de género en los valores bioquímicos de P.expansa. Cuarenta muestras de sangre (19 machos y 21 hembras) de adultosP.expansa se obtuvieron de una granja comercial en Río Branco, Acre (Brasil).Las muestras de plasmas fueron sometidos a análisis de urea, creatinina,aspartato aminotransferasa (AST), alanina aminotransferasa niveles deproteína (ALT) y total. Los resultados bioquímicos fueron sometidos aestadística descriptiva para determinar la media, desviación estándar rango de

variación (MIN, MAX). Los niveles bioquímicos que se presentan en esteestudio son esenciales para crear una guía sobre los valores normales. Comose informó anteriormente no había ninguna diferencia entre los valoresbioquímicos machos y hembras. Es importante destacar que nuestro estudio seutilizó un mayor número de animales, con dos grupos que comprenden númerosimilar de machos y hembras.Palabras claves: Valores bioquímicos; Podocnemis expansa

IntroductionThe giant turtle from Amazon, Podocnemis expansa, has been

consumed as food by Amazon people who live near the forest and rivers. This

human behavior leads to the decrease of P. expansa population, andconsequently the implementation of federal law to preserve natural population



of this species. Than the culture of P. expansa was authorized in attempt topreserve natural populations1. Initially biochemical data on wild P .expansapopulations provided reasonable parameters in attempt to preserve the naturalpopulations2,3. However an intraspecific variation has been reported in differentturtle species due to internal and external factors such as the quality of aquatic

environment, genetic variation, nutritional status, sex and age1

. Theconcentration of the blood major constituents in reptiles presents variation onphysiologic intensity due to feeding, apnea time, body temperature variations,water availability, time of the ear and reproductive cycle2. Therefore, isexpected that blood biochemical values from wild P. expansa are different fromcaptive animals. In addition, turtles are capable of great adaptations, makingdifficult to perform a comparison among chelonian species with differentlifestyles1 as the case of captive animals. More recently were described thebiochemical and hematological reference ranges for captive Amazon freshwaterturtle to help assess the causes of possible diseases1. However due tolimitations the authors suggested further studies to determine the gender

influence on blood parameters. In attempt to support conservation projects andto evaluate captive populations under disease risk, this study intends to reportthe gender influence on biochemical values from P. expansa.

Material and MethodsForty blood samples (19 males and 21 females) of adult P. expansa were

collected from a commercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil). Each turtle wasquickly caught and during the slaughtering process blood samples werecollected with 3 mL syringes. The blood was transferred immediately intovacutainer (Becton Dickinson) to obtain plasma. The samples were centrifuged700 rpm for 5 minutes at room temperature. The plasma was transferred toeppendorf tubes and stored at 20 °C. The plasma samples were subjected toanalysis of urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanineaminotransferase (ALT) and total protein levels. The biochemical results weresubmitted to descriptive statistics to determinate the mean, standard deviationand range of variation (MIN, MAX). The correlations among males and femalesresults were performed applying the T- test. The level of significance assumedwas 5% (P< 0.05).

ResultsIn order to establish reference values only health animals were selected

from a commercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre. Reference values for malebiochemical blood parameters are given in Table 1. Reference values for femalebiochemical blood parameters are given in Table 2.

Table 1. Values for male biochemical blood parameters of male Podocnemis expansa from acomercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil).

Parameters (male) N Mean Standard deviation Min/Max

Urea (mg/dL) 19 4,42 2,39 1-9Creatinine (mg/dL) 19 0,20 0,62 0,13-0,43

AST (U/L) 19 144,89 46,05 89-218ALT (U/L) 19 20,37 17,04 9-89

Total protein (g/dL) 19 2,34 0,71 1,1-4,2



Table 2. Values for female biochemical blood parameters of female Podocnemis expansa from acomercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil).

Parameters (female) N Mean Standard deviation Min/Max

Urea (mg/dL) 21 6,62 3,76 1-14Creatinine (mg/dL) 21 0,18 0,04 0,12-0,31

AST (U/L) 21 105,71 33,06 49-163ALT (U/L) 21 16,05 16,40 7-86

Total protein (g/dL) 21 2,11 0,42 1,0-2,7

DiscussionLittle data is available on biochemical values of giant turtle from

Amazon1,2,3, making the results of this study essential to create a guideline onnormal values. The urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanineaminotransferase (ALT) and total protein levels were different from those find1.However our study comprised a higher number of animals. Also the animalsprobably were subjected to different captive conditions, which can lead to

biochemical variation. This fact were expected since concentration of the bloodmajor constituents in reptiles presents variation on physiologic intensity due tofeeding, apnea time, body temperature variations, water availability, time of theear and reproductive cycle2. As reported previously there was no differenceamong female and male biochemical values3.

ConclusionsThe urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine

aminotransferase (ALT) and total protein levels presented in this study areessential to create a guideline on normal values. As reported previously therewas no difference among female and male biochemical values. It is important to

emphasize that our study used a higher number of animals, with two groupscomprising similar number of females and males.

References

1 - OLIVEIRA-JÚNIOR AA, TAVARES-DIAS M, MARCON JL. Biochemical andhematological reference ranges for Amazon freshwater turtle, Podocnemisexpansa (Reptilia: Pelomedusidae), with morphologic assessment of bloodcells. Res Vet Sci 2009; 86: 146-151.

2 - SANTOS ALQ, MALTA TS, MUNDIM AV, ALVES JÚNIOR JRF,CARVALHO SFM. Variação dos constituintes bioquímicos sanguíneos detartarugas-da-amazônia (Podocnemis expansa, Schweigger – 1812)(TESTUDINATA) mantidas em criatório commercial. Arch Vet Sci 2005; 10 (3):1-8.

3 – DUNCAN WP, MARCON JL. Enzymes of energy metabolism in hatchlings of Amazonian freshwater turtles (Testudines, Podocnemididae). Braz J Biol 2009;69 (2): 319-325.

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