A5038528955- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Marine Toxins and Detection Methods
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Diatoms and Algae Research
- Traumatic Ocular and Foreign Body Injuries
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Venomous Animal Envenomation and Studies
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Veterinary Equine Medical Research
- Knee injuries and reconstruction techniques
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
Florida Atlantic University
2009-2022
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
2022
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
2022
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region
2022
Mote Marine Laboratory
2013-2021
Stanford University
2020
University of Miami
2020
ORCID
2020
Sea turtles represent an ancient lineage of marine vertebrates that evolved from terrestrial ancestors over 100 Mya. The genomic basis the unique physiological and ecological traits enabling these species to thrive in diverse habitats remains largely unknown. Additionally, many populations have drastically declined due anthropogenic activities past two centuries, their recovery is a high global conservation priority. We generated analyzed high-quality reference genomes for leatherback (...
Of the seven sea turtle species, critically endangered leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) exhibits lowest and most variable nest success (i.e., hatching emergence success) for reasons that remain largely unknown. In an attempt to identify or rule out causes of low reproductive in this we established largest sample size (n = 60–70 values) baseline blood parameters (protein electrophoresis, hematology, plasma biochemistry) species date. Hematologic, protein electrophoretic biochemical values...
Anthropogenic contaminants in the marine environment often biodegrade slowly, bioaccumulate organisms, and can have deleterious effects on wildlife immunity, health, reproduction, development. In this study, we evaluated tissue toxicant concentrations pathology data from 83 odontocetes that stranded southeastern United States during 2012–2018. Mass spectrometry was used to analyze blubber samples for five organic toxicants (atrazine, bisphenol-A, diethyl phthalates, nonylphenol...
Important indicators of population health needed for large-scale sea turtle recovery efforts include demographics, disease and mortality trends, condition indices, baseline blood data. With this comprehensive assessment adult female green turtles Chelonia mydas nesting on Juno Beach, Florida, USA, we (1) established indices; (2) identified individuals with evidence infection by chelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 6 (ChHV5, ChHV6), which are implicated in fibropapillomatosis respiratory skin...
Chelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 and 6 (ChHV5 ChHV6) are viruses that affect wild sea turtle populations. ChHV5 is associated with the neoplastic disease fibropapillomatosis (FP), which affects green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in panzootic proportions. ChHV6 infection lung-eye-trachea (LETD), has only been observed maricultured turtles, although antibodies to have detected free-ranging turtles. To better understand herpesvirus prevalence host immunity various foraging aggregations Florida, USA,...
Serum protein concentrations provide insight into the nutritional and immune status of organisms. It has been suggested that some marine turtles are capital breeders fast during nesting season. In this study, we documented serum proteins in neophyte remigrant leatherback sea (Dermochelys coriacea). This allowed us to establish trends across season determine whether these physiological parameters indicate if leatherbacks forage or while on grounds. Using biuret method agarose gel...
Incubation temperatures, in addition to an embryo's genetic makeup, are critical many aspects of adequate sea turtle embryonic development. The effects high and low incubation temperatures on hatchling quality have been previously examined; however, these studies were conducted relocated or laboratory-reared nests, which do not accurately reflect natural nest temperature fluctuations. To observe the impacts varying situ loggerhead (Caretta caretta) morphology, various health variables...
Blood analyte reference intervals are scarce for immature life stages of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The objectives this study were to (1) document packed cell volume (PCV) and 20 plasma chemistry analytes from wild oceanic-juvenile stage turtles Azorean waters, (2) investigate correlations with body size (minimum straight carapace length: SCLmin) (3) compare data those older, larger neritic juveniles (<80 cm adult loggerheads (≥80 that have recruited West Atlantic in waters...
In an attempt to identify critical health issues affecting the survival of endangered leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), a prospective study was conducted in several dead-in-nest hatchlings and captive posthatchlings examine pathologic changes presence pathogenic microorganisms. Numerous histopathologic were identified. Although bacterial etiologies suspected deaths individuals, single causative organism not identified but rather, mixed population flora cultured. Muscle...
Plasma chemistry is widely used in diagnostic and research settings sea turtles. However, plasma discolorations such as hemolysis are often not considered data interpretation. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effects moderate on electrolytes, minerals, proteins using dry analysis (DCA) protein electrophoresis from nesting leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) Florida (2) establish blood analyte reference intervals. Twenty-six samples with absence selected...
Abstract Health assessments of wildlife species are becoming increasingly important in an ever-changing environment. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii; hereafter, ridleys) critically endangered and incur several on-going threats to their population recovery; therefore, it is imperative advance the understanding baseline blood analyte data as a diagnostic monitoring tool. For in-water, trawl-captured, immature ridleys (minimum N = 31) from Georgia, USA, objectives this study were...
Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is an infectious, neoplastic disease of major concern in sea turtle rehabilitation facilities. Rehabilitating turtles that undergo tumor removal surgery often have regrowth and may experience mortality. We evaluated score, removal, rehabilitating green with FP 4 facilities the southeastern USA during 2009-2017. Of 756 cases, 312 (41%) underwent surgery, 155 (50%) those had within average 46 ± 45 d, 85 (27%) multiple (>1) events. FP, 563 (75%) did not survive after...