Post-mortem investigations on a leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea stranded along the Northern Adriatic coastline

• DOI: 10.3354/dao02479
• Publication Date: 2012-05-11T08:21:02Z
• Authors: L Poppi; A Zaccaroni; D Pasotto; G Dotto; F Marcer; D Scaravelli; S Mazzariol
• Keywords: Photobacterium; Foreign Bodies; 01 natural sciences; Turtles; Leatherback turtle; Marine debris ·; Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida; Adriatic Sea; Fatal Outcome; Italy; Metals, Heavy; Mediterranean Sea; Animals; Female; Water Pollutants; 14. Life underwater; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea are regularly reported in the Mediterranean Sea but rarely reach northern Adriatic Sea. In summer of 2009, a well-preserved carcass an adult female this species was found dead along coast Lido di Venezia. A complete necropsy carried out, with evaluation levels tissue trace elements. The post-mortem revealed acute severe bacterial gastroenteritis caused by Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida, opportunistic agent that infected apparently debilitated animal weakened ingested plastic debris. High heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd and As) liver kidneys might have contributed to animal's demise. These findings support previous indications marine debris is one major threats animals, particularly for critically endangered such as leatherback turtle.