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Chemello G, Trotta E, Notarstefano V, Papetti L, Di Renzo L, Matiddi M, Silvestri C, Carnevali O, Gioacchini G. Microplastics evidence in yolk and liver of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), a pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 337:122589. [PMID: 37734631 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The potential toxicity of microplastics is a growing concern for the scientific community. The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is particularly inclined to accidently ingest plastic and microplastic due to its long-life cycle features. The possible transfer of microplastics from the female to the eggs should be investigated. The present study investigated the presence of microplastics in yolk and liver samples evaluating the number of melanomacrophages in the hepatic tissue as a possible biomarker of microplastics impact on the embryonic health status. The biometric parameters and liver histological analysis of 27 and 48 embryos (from two different nests respectively) at the 30 stage of development were analyzed. Raman Microspectroscopy was performed to identify the microplastics after alkaline digestion (10% KOH) of yolk and portion of liver from 5 embryos at the 30 developmental stage per nest. Microplastics were found in yolk and liver of loggerhead sea turtles at late embryonic stage for the first time. All microplastics were smaller than 5 μm and were made of polymers and colors suggesting their diverse origins. A total number of 21 microplastics, with dimensions lower than 5 μm, were found between the two nests (11 and 10 microplastics respectively). Only two shape categories were identified: spheres and fragments. The most frequent polymers observed were polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (31.5%, 21.1% and 15.8% respectively). Despite the eggs showing a higher number of microplastics in yolk samples than liver (15 and 6 microplastics in yolk and liver respectively), a positive correlation was observed only between the number of melanomacrophages (r = 0.863 p < 0.001) and microplastics in the liver. This result may suggest that microplastics could exert some effects on the hepatic tissues. Future studies should investigate this aspect and the possible relation between microplastics and other stress biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Chemello
- Department of Environmental and Life Science (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Erica Trotta
- Department of Environmental and Life Science (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Valentina Notarstefano
- Department of Environmental and Life Science (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Luana Papetti
- CRTM, TartAmare Onlus, 85100, Marina di Grosseto, Italy.
| | - Ludovica Di Renzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Dell'Abruzzo e Del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100, Teramo, Italy; Centro Studi Cetacei, 65125, Pescara, Italy.
| | - Marco Matiddi
- Centro Nazionale per La Rete Nazionale Dei Laboratori CN-LAB, Istituto Superiore per La Ricerca e La Protezione Ambientale (ISPRA), 00144, Roma, Italy.
| | - Cecilia Silvestri
- Centro Nazionale per La Rete Nazionale Dei Laboratori CN-LAB, Istituto Superiore per La Ricerca e La Protezione Ambientale (ISPRA), 00144, Roma, Italy.
| | - Oliana Carnevali
- Department of Environmental and Life Science (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Gioacchini
- Department of Environmental and Life Science (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
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Hughes GN, Streeting LM, Burns A, McDonald PG. Towards a Diagnostic Tool for Turtle Ootaxonomy: Investigation of Microstructural Differences in the Eggshells of Australian Freshwater Turtles. ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1643/h2021125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey N. Hughes
- Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, W077 Trevenna Road, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351; (GNH) ; (LMS) ; (AB) ; and (PGM)
| | - Louise M. Streeting
- Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, W077 Trevenna Road, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351; (GNH) ; (LMS) ; (AB) ; and (PGM)
| | - Adrienne Burns
- Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, W077 Trevenna Road, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351; (GNH) ; (LMS) ; (AB) ; and (PGM)
| | - Paul G. McDonald
- Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, W077 Trevenna Road, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351; (GNH) ; (LMS) ; (AB) ; and (PGM)
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Gatto CR, Reina RD. Sea turtle hatchling locomotor performance: incubation moisture effects, ontogeny and species-specific patterns. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 190:779-793. [PMID: 32959084 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01307-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Incubation conditions are critical in determining numerous traits in reptilian neonates. This is particularly significant in species with low offspring survival such as sea turtle species, because of the extremely high predation rates that hatchlings face during their initial dispersal from nesting beaches. Hatchlings that develop in suboptimal nest environments are likely to be smaller, slower and more susceptible to predation than hatchlings from optimal nest environments. Previous studies have focused on the effects of temperature on hatchling traits, but few have investigated the effects of moisture concentrations, despite moisture levels in nests influencing hatchling size, sex, incubation duration, and hatching success. Here, we incubated eggs of three sea turtle species at various moisture levels and tested the terrestrial and aquatic locomotor performance of the resultant hatchlings during the frenzy and post-frenzy period. We also compared and evaluated the ontogeny of early locomotor performance for each species over the first months of life. Drier incubation conditions produced hatchlings that crawled more slowly and took longer to self-right than hatchlings from wetter incubation conditions. There was no difference in swimming performance associated with moisture treatments. We suggest that moisture in the nest environment during incubation may influence hatchling performance via their initial hydration levels. Thus, nest moisture influences terrestrial performance (i.e., escaping from the nest and dispersing across the beach), although upon entering the ocean hatchlings have the opportunity to rehydrate by drinking and thus, differences in locomotor performance associated with moisture treatments cease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
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Gleason FH, Allerstorfer M, Lilje O. Newly emerging diseases of marine turtles, especially sea turtle egg fusariosis (SEFT), caused by species in the Fusarium solani complex (FSSC). Mycology 2020; 11:184-194. [PMID: 33062381 PMCID: PMC7534349 DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2019.1710303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea turtles are presently considered severely endangered species that are historically threatened by many environmental factors. Recently, additional threats to sea turtles from two pathogenic species of fungi in the Fusarium solani species complex (F. falciforme and F. keratoplasticum) have been identified. These species infect marine turtle eggs, causing sea turtle egg fusariosis, and kill their embryos, with recent reports of hatch-failure in seven globally distributed species of endangered sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriaceae, Eretmochelys imbricata, Lepidochelys olivacea, Lepidochelys kempi and Natator depressus). Mycelia and spores of pathogenic species of Fusarium are produced in disturbed terrestrial soils and are transported to the ocean in coastal run off. We propose that these fungi grow on floating particles of plant tissues (leaves and wood), animal tissues, silt and plastics, which are carried by wind and currents and the turtles themselves to the beaches where the turtles lay their eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank H Gleason
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Monika Allerstorfer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Osu Lilje
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Candan ED. Molecular identification of fungal isolates and hatching success of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests. Arch Microbiol 2018; 200:911-919. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-018-1496-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Rosado-Rodríguez G, Maldonado-Ramírez SL. Mycelial Fungal Diversity Associated with the Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Nests from Western Puerto Rico. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1217.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Patino-Martinez J, Marco A, Quiñones L, Abella E, Abad RM, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. How do hatcheries influence embryonic development of sea turtle eggs? Experimental analysis and isolation of microorganisms in leatherback turtle eggs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 317:47-54. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Revised: 08/22/2011] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Al-Bahry SN, Mahmoud IY, Melghit K, Al-Amri I. Analysis of elemental composition of the eggshell before and after incubation in the loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta) in Oman. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2011; 17:452-460. [PMID: 21524326 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927611000298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
To date, there are limited studies on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) eggshell ultrastructure and its elemental composition. Eggs were collected from turtle nests immediately after oviposition and post hatching. Three eggshell layers were recognized. The outer calcareous layer consists of loose nodular units of different shapes and sizes with loose attachment between the units, resulting in numerous spaces and openings. Each unit consists of CaCO3 crystals in aragonite (99%) and calcite (1%). The middle layer has several strata with numerous openings connecting the calcareous and the inner shell membrane. Crystallites of the middle layer are a mix of amorphous material with aragonite (62%) and calcite (38%). The inner shell membrane has numerous reticular fibers mixed predominantly with halite (NaCl) and small amounts of sylvite. Thermogravimetry analysis of the calcareous showed a low exothermic peak at 425°C, which corresponds to a transitional phase from aragonite to calcite. A high endothermic peak at 814°C corresponds to decomposition of calcite CaCO3 to CaO and CO2. Electron diffraction confirmed the presence of NaCl halite crystal. A significant difference was found in the percentage of elements and crystal configurations in the three layers. This study has value in assessing the emergence success in this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- S N Al-Bahry
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
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