HEMATOLOGICAL VALUES OF JUVENILE GREEN TURTLES (Chelonia mydas) CAPTURED IN
THE COAST OF ANGRA DOS REIS AND PARATY, SOUTH OF RIO DE JANEIRO STATE
Marcon M.1, Gitirana H. M.1,2, Werneck M. R.1, Lobo-Hajdu G.1,2
1Projeto
PROMONTAR-ANGRA, Avenida Brasil, 21, Vila Residencial de Mambucaba, Paraty- RJ, CEP 23.970-000, Brasil.
2Laboratório de Genética Marinha (LGMar), Departamento de Genética, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, PHLC, Salas 224 e 205,
Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, CEP 20.550-013, Brasil.
Introduction
Results and discussion
The coastline of Angra dos Reis and Paraty, south of the State of Rio de Janeiro,
collects oceanographic and biological characteristics sufficient to house the species of
sea turtles. However, very little is known about these and animals in the area, leaving
sporadic communications in the scientific literature to proximal areas. The health status
of these endangered animals is essential to develop conservation plans based on the
assessment of population health condition [1,2,4,3]. most There is a small amount of
information about the hematological values ​of wild sea turtles, most studies based on
samples kept in captivity turtles. Hematologic values ​of these animals may show a
significant difference resulting from an artificial diet, stress, etc. [1]. In this sense, the
objective of this study was to investigate the hematological values ​of green turtles
(Chelonia mydas) caught off the coast of Angra dos Reis and Paraty, at PROMONTARANGRA Project.
The curve carapace length obtained from the sea turtles of this study was 39.7±7.8 (29-60)
cm and weight 6.9±3.7 (2.5-21.4) kg. The mean and standard deviation values (mean ± SD)
obtained in the blood count of 33 individuals of Chelonia mydas are described in the table
below.
Table 1. Mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values for hematological patterns of the samples.
Mean ± SD
Minimum - Maximum
Red blood cell( 106 /µl)
0.49 ± 0.13
0.25 – 0.90
Hematocrit (%)
30.41±04.06
22.0 – 49.0
Hemoglobin (g/dl)
10.13 ± 1.98
7.3 – 16.30
667.34±155.07
386 – 1088.8
34.2±29.1
33.0 – 37.0
3782.12±2452.13
1000 - 9000
Monocytes (/µl)
258.31±668.75
0 - 3360
Lymphocytes (/µl)
98.61±222.79
0 - 960
Heterophil (/µl)
647.32±1125.52
24 - 4160
Eosinophils (/µl)
199.23±539.
0 - 2560
Basophi (l/µl)
13.71±65.25
0 - 320
Parameter
VCM fl
MCHC (g/dl)
Materials and methods
WBC (/dl)
During the period June/2013 and June/2014 were captured 33 juveniles of-green turtles
from freediving in three different parts of the region. After capture, the biometric
procedures were performed, marking the frontal flippers (metal clips transferred by
TAMAR-ICMBio) and blood collection from the cervical dorsal venous sinus puncture.
All individuals selected for this study were clinically healthy with robust body condition
and had no apparent fibropapillomas.
A
B
With respect to morphological classification of the cells were found six cell types: red
blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, heterophile, eosinophils, basophils. It is known that
the hematological values may be influenced by many biological factors such as age, size,
sex, body condition, diet, season and habitat [1]. The hematological values found in this
study differ from those described by other authors. This strengthens the necessity of
establishing specific hematological values for each population, also considering the
characteristics such as the size of the animals and the methodology used.
Figure 1. Diving for intentional capture of sea turtles (A); Measurement of biometric data (B).
Hematological samples were placed in tubes containing sodium heparin, being kept at
low temperatures until arrival in the laboratory. The blood count was performed using
total cell count in a Neubauer camera and differential counts in blood smears.
A
B
C
Conclusions
The results of this study point to the possibility of a local hematological pattern, which can
be distinguished from other described by other authors for free living sea turtles of the same
species and age.
Acknowledgments
Eletrobras Termonuclear S/A-Eletronuclear.
Figure 2. Blood sampling is performed in the field (A and B). Procedure performed in the laboratory ©
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