VITAMIN D STATUS OF WILD RICORD'S IGUANAS (CYCLURA RICORDII) AND CAPTIVE AND WILD RHINOCEROS IGUANAS (CYCLURA CORNUTA CORNUTA) IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

• Published in: Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2005-06, Vol.36 (2), p.188-191
• Main Authors: Ramer, Jan C, Maria, Roberto, Reichard, Tim, Tolson, Peter J, Chen, Tai C, Holick, Michael F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Wild - blood; Animals, Zoo - blood; Blood; Calcitriol - blood; Cholecalciferols; Cyclura; Dominican Republic; Half lives; Humans; Iguanas; Iguanas - blood; Reference Values; Reptiles; rhinoceros iguana; Ricord's iguana; Species Specificity; Sunlight; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamins - blood; Zoos
• ISSN: 1042-7260; 1937-2825
• DOI: 10.1638/04-080.1

Calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) values are reported for 22 wild Ricord's iguanas (Cyclura ricordii) and seven wild rhinoceros iguanas (Cyclura cornuta cornuta). Calcitriol (1,25-hydroxyvitamin D) values are reported for 12 wild Ricord's iguanas and seven wild rhinoceros iguanas. These animals were captured as part of a larger health assessment study being conducted on Ricord's iguanas in Isla Cabritos National Park, Dominican Republic. A total of 13 captive rhinoceros iguanas held outdoors at Parque Zoológico Nacional were also sampled for comparison. Mean concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were 554 nmol/L (222 ng/ml) with a range of 250–1,118 nmol/L (100–448 ng/ml) for wild Ricord's iguanas, 332 nmol/L (133 ng/ml) with a range of 260–369 nmol/L (104–148 ng/ml) for wild rhinoceros iguanas, and 317 nmol/L (127 ng/ml) with a range of 220–519 nmol/L (88–208 ng/ml) for captive rhinoceros iguanas. On the basis of these results, serum concentrations of at least 325 nmol/L (130 ng/ml) for 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be considered normal for healthy Ricord's and rhinoceros iguanas.