Blood biochemistry values of green turtles, Chelonia mydas, with and without fibropapillomatosis

Baseline blood biochemistry values were obtained for two foraging aggregati ons of clinically healthy wild. juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) inh abiting Kaneohe Bay, Island of Oahu, and the Kona Coast. Island of Hawaii. Mean reference values were compared to values obtained from green turtles o f similar size affected with fibropapillomas (FP) collected at Kaneohe Bay, Statistically significant differences m;ere identified for total protein v alues, blued urea nitrogen, and enzyme values between healthy turtles and t urtles with FP. In addition, turtles with severe FP were hypoproteinaemic, hypoalbuminaemic, hypoferraemic, azotaemic, and presented inverse calcium/p hosphorus ratios, low cholesterol and triglyceride values, indicating the c hronicity and severity of FP. It is concluded that blood reference values s hould be established for green turtles at the population level and by geogr aphic area considering disease status, age, sex, and seasonal variations.