RESUMO

Studies evaluating the health status and characteristics of free-ranging wildlife populations are scarce or absent for most species. Saurian health assessments are usually performed in species that have conservation issues or that are kept in captivity. The Berthold's bush anole (Polychrus guturossus) is one of eight species belonging to the genus Polychrus, the only representative of the family Polychrotidae. Only a handful of studies have been reported concerning these lizard's morphological variation, ecology, and natural history, probably because P. gutturosus is a canopy dweller and it can be difficult to locate individuals. It is believed that deforestation and habitat modification could pose a threat for this species, although to date no health assessment has been done. The aim of this study was to generate health baseline data on P. gutturosus. Forty Berthold's bush anoles (20 males and 20 females) were sampled at the Pacific versant in Costa Rica, where physical examination, skin and cloacal temperatures, and blood samples were obtained from individuals immediately after capture. Animals from the studied population were all healthy (body condition 2.5-3.0/5.0). No lesions or ectoparasites were detected, but hemoparasites were found in nine individuals. Hematological and biochemical values were obtained, and the morphology of leukocytes were found to be similar to other iguanians. A positive correlation was found between the tissue enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine kinase (CK) and a negative correlation was found between skin and cloacal temperatures and AST and CK. There were positive correlations between female weight and total protein, calcium, and the calcium and phosphorus ratio. No significant inter-sex differences were found in biochemical values, despite females being larger than males. This is the first health assessment performed on a free-ranging canopy dwelling lizard. These findings provide baseline data that may be useful for future monitoring if the species faces changes in health status due to anthropogenic causes or natural disturbances.

RESUMO

The terciopelo (Bothrops asper) inhabits human-modified environments such as agricultural areas, becoming more prone to be exposed to organophosphate insecticides. These chemicals can inhibit plasmatic butyrylcholinesterases (BChE) activity in B. asper. Caribbean and Pacific populations of B. asper belong to two divergent lineages that exhibit robust genetic partitioning; however, differences across versants in biochemistry and hematology have not yet been examined, especially in BChE variations. This study aims to evaluate the differences of BChE plasmatic values, hematology parameters, and some biochemical analytes as biomarkers in the presence of organophosphates between the Pacific and Caribbean population of B. asper in Costa Rica. A total of 89 snakes (41 Pacific and 48 Caribbean) were used, and hematology parameter, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein and BChEs were evaluated. Differences in hemoglobin content, thrombocytes, white cell count, AST, and BChE values were found between both versants. Intrinsic genetic factors might influence the variation found in BChE and AST values in the snakes sampled from both versants; moreover, understanding this variation in BChE and AST values across the B. asper's distribution can be useful in future ecotoxicology, biomonitoring, genetic and other clinical/health studies.

RESUMO

The terciopelo (Bothrops asper), is one of the most important venomous snakes in Costa Rica and common on agriculture where insecticides are frequently used for pest control. To assess the exposure to organophosphates on captive B. asper, an experiment using chlorpyrifos and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), as a biomarker was conducted. In addition to BChE, hematology, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total proteins (TP) and albumin were measured after exposure. Different concentrations of chlorpyrifos were used in Group A (0.1%) and B (1%), while the Control Group received distilled water; each group was composed of 5 snakes. Values of BChE, AST, TP, and albumin were measured before exposure, and at 6, 12, 24, 196, 360 and 528 h post-exposure. Hematology values were measured after 24 h post-exposure. As result, an important variation between subjects in all groups before exposure was obtained. Moreover, BChE activity showed 37% inhibition of Group A when compared to Control Group at 12 h post-exposure, and a higher inhibition of Group B (97%) related to Control Group, at 6 h post-exposure. Recovery of BChE occurred towards 528 h, never reaching initial values. Despite some variation in the rest of parameters used, a marked relative lymphopenia and monocytosis occurred at 24 h, assuming stress as the main cause.

Assuntos

RESUMO

A pesar de ser una patología rara la intoxicación por hongos puede llegar a ser potencialmente mortal, principalmente si se habla del Amanita phalloides, el cual contiene toxinas capaces de producir alteraciones gastrointestinales y falla hepática aguda. La amatoxina, uno de sus componentes es letal a dosis de 0.1 mg/kg y el manejo posterior a su ingesta no cuenta con pautas claramente establecidas, el mismo va a depender del tiempo que haya transcurrido desde la ingesta del hongo y puede llegar a ser tan invasivo como un trasplante hepático.

Despite it is a rare disease, the fungus poisoning can be lethal, mainly if it is with Amanita phalloides. This fungus have toxins that produce gastrointestinal alterations and acute liver failure. The amatoxin is one of its main components, its letal dosis is 0,1mg/kg and it doesn't have a established treatment, the outcome depends of the elapsed time between the ingest of the fungus and the medical treatment, which can be even a liver transplant.

Assuntos