Stress Responses and Sexing of Wild Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Plasma corticosterone, glucose, and testosterone concentrations were measured in wild, immature specimens of the highly endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) to determine effects of acute handling stress. Thirty-nine free-ranging turtles were captured by entanglement net nea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:General and comparative endocrinology 2001-10, Vol.124 (1), p.66-74
Main Authors: Gregory, Lisa F., Schmid, Jeffrey R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Atlantic Ocean
Blood Glucose - metabolism
Colorimetry
Corticosterone - blood
Female
Handling (Psychology)
Hemorrhage - physiopathology
Lepidochelys kempi
Male
Radioimmunoassay
Restraint, Physical
Sex Characteristics
Stress, Psychological - physiopathology
Testosterone - blood
Turtles - physiology
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Summary:Plasma corticosterone, glucose, and testosterone concentrations were measured in wild, immature specimens of the highly endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) to determine effects of acute handling stress. Thirty-nine free-ranging turtles were captured by entanglement net near the Cedar Keys, Florida. Blood samples were collected immediately after retrieval from the net, and at 30 min (n = 15) and at 60 min (n = 29) thereafter. Mean plasma corticosterone and glucose concentrations increased significantly with time. No significant difference was observed over time for mean testosterone concentrations. Approximately half of the turtles demonstrated an increase in plasma testosterone after 60 min of captivity while the others demonstrated a decrease. Initial testosterone concentrations were used to determine the sex of individual turtles. Fifty-nine percent of turtles were classified as female, 33% as male, and 8% as indeterminant. The results of this study demonstrate a responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hyperglycemia in immature Kemp's ridley turtles during acute handling stress
ISSN:0016-6480
1095-6840
DOI:10.1006/gcen.2001.7683