Mortality associated with ingestion of sea urchins in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta): A case series.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

The aims of this study were: a) to describe the pathological and laboratory findings in a case series of stranding and mortality associated with ingestion of large amounts of sea urchins in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), and b) to alert veterinarians and biologists involved in sea turtle conservation of this cause of stranding and/or death.

Methods

The six loggerheads studied were stranded on the coasts of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain, between 2008 and 2015. Post mortem studies included pathological, microbiological, and sea urchin species identification procedures.

Results

All turtles showed severe intestinal impaction caused by large amounts of sea urchins, mainly affecting the colon and the caudal half of the small intestine. Histologically, seve

SUBMITTER: Inurria A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6707556 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature