Dm. Garell et Dm. Meyers, HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM CHEMISTRY VALUES FOR FREE-RANGING GOLDEN CROWNEDSIFAKA (PROPITHECUS-TATTERSALLI), Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine, 26(3), 1995, pp. 382-386
Thirty-four free-ranging golden crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersall
i) inhabiting three forest sites in northeastern Madagascar were immob
ilized for a collaborative ecologic, physiologic, and behavioral study
. Physiologic reference values have not been determined for this recen
tly described species. Blood samples taken opportunistically were eval
uated for hematologic and serum chemistry values and for hemoparasites
. Other than elevated aspartate aminotransferase and creatine phosphok
inase levels, blood values were within reference ranges published for
other prosimian primates. Evidence of circulating microfilariae was fo
und in 59% of individuals sampled using the Knott's centrifugation tec
hnique. Adults had a significantly higher prevalence of microfilariasi
s than did juveniles (P < 0.001). No significant differences (P > 0.05
) in total white blood cell count, percentage of eosinophils, or level
s of alanine aminotransferase or alkaline phosphatase were found betwe
en individuals positive and negative for circulating microfilariae. No
malarial parasites were observed on examination of thin blood smears.
No enteric parasites were identified on fecal zinc sulfate flotation
or on examination of direct fecal smears. External ear mites were obse
rved in 48% of the sifaka examined. There was no evidence of external
ear pathology.