0000000000434567
AUTHOR
Daniel García-párraga
Novel Insights Into Gas Embolism in Sea Turtles: First Description in Three New Species
The recent finding of gas embolism and decompression sickness in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea challenged the conventional understanding of marine vertebrate diving physiology. Additionally, it brought to light a previously unknown source of mortality associated with fisheries bycatch for this vulnerable species. In this paper, we use ultrasonography to describe gas embolism in a leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) from accidental capture in a gillnet, bottom trawl and pair-bottom trawl respectively. This is the first description of this condition in thes…
Impact of gas emboli and hyperbaric treatment on respiratory function of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)
We investigated lung function in bycaught sea turtles with and without gas emboli. Hyperbaric O2 treatment significantly improves lung function. Pulmonary function testing may be a useful diagnostic tool to assess fisheries induced trauma.
Deciphering function of the pulmonary arterial sphincters in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)
To provide new insight to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying gas emboli (GE) in bycaught loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), the present study investigated the vasoactive characteristics of the pulmonary and systemic arteries, and the lung parenchyma (LP). Tissues were opportunistically excised from recently dead animals for in vitro studies of vasoactive responses to four different neurotransmitters: acetylcholine (ACh, parasympathetic), serotonin (5HT), epinephrine (Epi, sympathetic) and histamine. The significant amount of smooth muscle in the LP contracted in response to ACh, Epi and histamine. The intrapulmonary and systemic arteries contracted under both parasympatheti…
To Swim or Not to Swim: Potential Transmission of Balaenophilus manatorum (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in Marine Turtles
Species of Balaenophilus are the only harpacticoid copepods that exhibit a widespread, obligate association with vertebrates, i.e., B. unisetus with whales and B. manatorum with marine turtles and manatees. In the western Mediterranean, juveniles of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta are the only available hosts for B. manatorum, which has been found occurring at high prevalence (>80%) on them. A key question is how these epibionts are transmitted from host to host. We investigated this issue based on experiments with live specimens of B. manatorum that were cultured with turtle skin. Specimens were obtained from head-started hatchlings of C. caretta from the western Mediterranean. …
Parasitic outbreak of the copepod Balaenophilus manatorum in neonate loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from a head-starting program
Abstract Background Diseases associated to external parasitosis are scarcely reported in sea turtles. During the last decades several organism have been documented as a part of normal epibiont community connected to sea turtles. The copepod Balaenophilus manatorum has been cited as a part of epibiont fauna with some concern about its parasitic capacity. This study serves three purposes, i.e. (i) it sheds light on the type of life style that B. manatorum has developed with its hosts, particularly turtles; (ii) it makes a cautionary note of the potential health risks associated with B. manatorum in sea turtles under captivity conditions and in the wild, and (iii) it provides data on effective…