ADRENAL AND HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS IN JUVENILE GREEN TURTLES (CHELONIA-MYDAS) WITH AND WITHOUT FIBROPAPILLOMAS

This study reports baseline adrenocortical, hematological, and plasma biochemical values for clinically healthy ,juvenile green turtles from a discrete population at Kaneohe Bay, island of Oahu, Hawaii. Using a general linear modeling program, we compared mean values for these pa rameters with mean values of a group afflicted with green turtle fibro papillomas (GTFP). Turtles of similar size classes from both groups we re collected under the same conditions in the same study area and seas on at the same time of the day. Corticosterone, hematological, and enz ymatic responses to acute and chronic stress were characterized for ea ch group at four different sampling periods: 0 h (within 2 min of capt ure), 1 h, 3-4 h, and 24 h postcapture. On the basis of the difference s identified between groups and times within a group, we conclude that turtles with GTFP are chronically stressed and immunosuppressed.