Blood Chemistry Values for Shovelnose and Lake Sturgeon |
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Authors: | Maria S. Sepúlveda Trent M. Sutton Holly K. Patrick Jon J. Amberg |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources , Purdue University , 195 Marsteller Street, West Lafayette , Indiana , 47907 , USA;2. School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences , University of Alaska Fairbanks , 915 North Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks , Alaska , 99775 , USA;3. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources , Purdue University , 195 Marsteller Street, West Lafayette , Indiana , 47907 , USA;4. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife , Michigan State University , 13 Natural Resources, East Lansing , Michigan , 48824 , USA;5. U.S. Geological Survey , Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center , 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse , Wisconsin , 54603 , USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract Blood chemistry panels are commonly used for assessing the general health of vertebrate animals. Here, we present novel blood chemistry data for two North American sturgeon species, shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus and lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Measurements were done using a portable chemistry analyzer (VetScan Analyzer; Abaxis). Among the plasma values measured (mean ± SD for shovelnose and lake sturgeon, respectively) were total proteins (3.7 ± 0.9 and 2.8 ± 0.4 g/dL), albumin (2.0 ± 0.5 and 1.1 ± 0.2 g/dL), globulin (1.7 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.3 g/dL), glucose (107 ± 46 and 62 ± 9.7 mg/dL), sodium (Na+; 132 ± 3.6 and 150 ± 14 mEq/L), potassium (K+; 3.5 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 1.7 mEq/L), phosphorus (10.4 ± 1.9 and 11.6 ± 3.6 mg/dL), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 676 ± 433 and 634 ± 234 IU/L). Higher values for total proteins, albumin, glucose, and Na+ in shovelnose sturgeon than in lake sturgeon probably are the result of handling stress. In addition, the plasma of male shovelnose sturgeon had higher concentrations of AST, glucose, and globulin than did that of females, whereas the plasma of females had higher concentrations of albumin and K+ than that of males. This study is the first to report blood chemistry data for shovelnose sturgeon. Robust blood chemistry databases can be used by aquaculturists and fish managers for monitoring sturgeon health. Received July 8, 2011; accepted February 2, 2012 |
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