Tortuga Amazonica

GENDER COMPARISSON ON BIOCHEMICAL VALUES OF
COMMERTIAL CAPTIVE AMAZON FRESHWATER TURTLE

(Podocnemis expansa)
COMPARACIN DE LOS NDICES BIOQUMICOS ENTRE LOS
DIFERENTES GNEROS DE LA TORTUGA AMAZNICA
CRIADOS EN CAUTIVIDAD (Podocnemis expansa)
Amorim-Lucena, S.; Medeiros-Santos, L.; Oliveira-Ciccinato, A.; Souza-Figueiredo, S.;
Carvalho-Karaccas, Y.
Abstract
In attempt to support conservation projects and to evaluate captive populations
under disease risk, this study intends to report the gender influence on
biochemical values from P. expansa. Forty blood samples (19 males and 21
females) of adult P. expansa were collected from a commercial farm in Rio
Branco, 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 descriptive
statistics to determinate the mean, standard deviation and range of variation
(MIN, MAX). The biochemical levels presented in this study are essential to
create a guideline on normal values. As reported previously there was no
difference among female and male biochemical values. It is important to
emphasize that our study used a higher number of animals, with two groups
comprising similar number of females and males.
Key-words: Biochemical values; Podocmenis expansa
Resumen
En un intento por apoyar proyectos de conservacin y para evaluar las
poblaciones cautivas bajo riesgo de enfermedad, este estudio tiene la intencin
de informar sobre la influencia de gnero en los valores bioqumicos de P.
expansa. Cuarenta muestras de sangre (19 machos y 21 hembras) de adultos
P.expansa se obtuvieron de una granja comercial en Ro Branco, Acre (Brasil).
Las muestras de plasmas fueron sometidos a anlisis de urea, creatinina,
aspartato aminotransferasa (AST), alanina aminotransferasa niveles de
protena (ALT) y total. Los resultados bioqumicos fueron sometidos a
estadstica descriptiva para determinar la media, desviacin estndar rango de
variacin (MIN, MAX). Los niveles bioqumicos que se presentan en este
estudio son esenciales para crear una gua sobre los valores normales. Como
se inform anteriormente no haba ninguna diferencia entre los valores
bioqumicos machos y hembras. Es importante destacar que nuestro estudio se
utiliz un mayor nmero de animales, con dos grupos que comprenden nmero
similar de machos y hembras.
Palabras claves: Valores bioqumicos; Podocnemis expansa
Introduction
The 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, and
consequently the implementation of federal law to preserve natural population
DVM, MSc Veterinary Medicine Intitute of Biology and
1Nature Federal University of Acre Acre/Brazil

2-
DVM Veterinary Autonomous
of this species. Than the culture of P. expansa was authorized in attempt to

preserve natural populations1. Initially biochemical data on wild P .expansa
populations provided reasonable parameters in attempt to preserve the natural
populations2,3. However an intraspecific variation has been reported in different
turtle species due to internal and external factors such as the quality of aquatic
environment, genetic variation, nutritional status, sex and age 1. The
concentration of the blood major constituents in reptiles presents variation on
physiologic intensity due to feeding, apnea time, body temperature variations,
water availability, time of the ear and reproductive cycle 2. Therefore, is
expected that blood biochemical values from wild P. expansa are different from
captive animals. In addition, turtles are capable of great adaptations, making
difficult to perform a comparison among chelonian species with different
lifestyles1 as the case of captive animals. More recently were described the
biochemical and hematological reference ranges for captive Amazon freshwater
turtle to help assess the causes of possible diseases1. However due to
limitations the authors suggested further studies to determine the gender
influence on blood parameters. In attempt to support conservation projects and
to evaluate captive populations under disease risk, this study intends to report
the gender influence on biochemical values from P. expansa.
Material and Methods
Forty blood samples (19 males and 21 females) of adult P. expansa were
collected from a commercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil). Each turtle was
quickly caught and during the slaughtering process blood samples were
collected with 3 mL syringes. The blood was transferred immediately into
vacutainer (Becton Dickinson) to obtain plasma. The samples were centrifuged
700 rpm for 5 minutes at room temperature. The plasma was transferred to
eppendorf tubes and stored at 20 C. 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 descriptive statistics to determinate the mean, standard deviation
and range of variation (MIN, MAX). The correlations among males and females
results were performed applying the T- test. The level of significance assumed
was 5% (P< 0.05).
Results
In order to establish reference values only health animals were selected
from a commercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre. Reference values for male
biochemical blood parameters are given in Table 1. Reference values for female
biochemical blood parameters are given in Table 2.
Table 1. Values for male biochemical blood parameters of male Podocnemis expansa from a
comercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil).
Parameters (male)
N
Mean
Standard deviation
Min/Max
Urea (mg/dL)
Creatinine (mg/dL)
AST (U/L)
ALT (U/L)
Total protein (g/dL)
19
19
19
19
19
4,42
0,20
144,89
20,37
2,34
2,39
0,62
46,05
17,04
0,71
1-9
0,13-0,43
89-218
9-89
1,1-4,2
Table 2. Values for female biochemical blood parameters of female Podocnemis expansa from a
comercial farm in Rio Branco, Acre (Brazil).
Parameters (female)
N
Mean
Standard deviation
Min/Max
Urea (mg/dL)
Creatinine (mg/dL)
AST (U/L)
ALT (U/L)
Total protein (g/dL)
21
21
21
21
21
6,62
0,18
105,71
16,05
2,11
3,76
0,04
33,06
16,40
0,42
1-14
0,12-0,31
49-163
7-86
1,0-2,7
Discussion
Little data is available on biochemical values of giant turtle from
Amazon1,2,3, making the results of this study essential to create a guideline on
normal values. The urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) and total protein levels were different from those find 1.
However our study comprised a higher number of animals. Also the animals
probably were subjected to different captive conditions, which can lead to
biochemical variation. This fact were expected since concentration of the blood
major constituents in reptiles presents variation on physiologic intensity due to
feeding, apnea time, body temperature variations, water availability, time of the
ear and reproductive cycle2. As reported previously there was no difference
among female and male biochemical values3.
Conclusions
The urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) and total protein levels presented in this study are
essential to create a guideline on normal values. As reported previously there
was no difference among female and male biochemical values. It is important to
emphasize that our study used a higher number of animals, with two groups
comprising similar number of females and males.
References
1 - OLIVEIRA-JNIOR AA, TAVARES-DIAS M, MARCON JL. Biochemical and

hematological reference ranges for Amazon freshwater turtle, Podocnemis
expansa (Reptilia: Pelomedusidae), with morphologic assessment of blood
cells. Res Vet Sci 2009; 86: 146-151.
2 - SANTOS ALQ, MALTA TS, MUNDIM AV, ALVES JNIOR JRF,
CARVALHO SFM. Variao dos constituintes bioqumicos sanguneos de
tartarugas-da-amaznia (Podocnemis expansa, Schweigger 1812)
(TESTUDINATA) mantidas em criatrio 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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GENDER COMPARISSON ON BIOCHEMICAL VALUES OF

COMMERTIAL CAPTIVE AMAZON FRESHWATER TURTLE

1Nature Federal University of Acre Acre/Brazil

DVM Veterinary Autonomous

of this species. Than the culture of P. expansa was authorized in attempt to

1 - OLIVEIRA-JNIOR AA, TAVARES-DIAS M, MARCON JL. Biochemical and

WP, MARCON JL. Enzymes of energy metabolism in hatchlings of

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