Morphologic and cytochemical characteristics of Chinese striped-necked [corrected] turtle (Ocadia sinensis) blood cells and their hematologic and plasma biochemical reference values.

Hematologic analyses are useful for the monitoring of animal health and diseases and for the differentiation of physiologic processes for clinicians and conservationists. In order to establish hematology reference values for the Chinese striped-necked [corrected] turtle (Ocadia sinensis) and to produce an accurate baseline of clinical laboratory data for O. sinensis with regard to sex and season, 50 (24 males and 26 females) adult captive individuals of O. sinensis were studied. Blood samples from the jugular veins of the turtles were collected in January, April, June, and November. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance for significant (P < 0.05) variation by sex, season, and the interaction between sex and season. Significant sex differences were observed for the parameters of packed cell volume, eosinophil count, heterophils and monocytes ratio, total protein, albumin, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, cholesterol, and alkaline phosphatase. Marked seasonal variation was noted in all parameters except mean cell hemoglobin, monocytes and heterophils ratio, and creatinine. Differences between sexes and seasons were primarily associated with the reproductive cycle. Heterophils had a strong positive reaction and eosinophils had a moderate positive reaction to benzidine peroxidase stain. Thrombocytes had a positive reaction to periodic acid-Schiff stain. Surface morphologic study using scanning electron microscopy of blood cells showed that white blood cells of O. sinensis had no distinctive surface characteristics.

Sexing a wider range of avian species based on two CHD1 introns with a unified reaction condition.

Identifying the sex of a bird is important to ensure successful breeding strategies and effective conservation programs. Sex may be identified from the intron size of the CHD1 gene located on the avian sex chromosomes Z and W. However, because of the great nucleotide diversity across different avian species, no given intron is in widespread use without ambiguous results. Complicated modifications of the reaction condition are required to suit different species. Two CHD1 introns were used with a unified reaction condition in this study to simplify the procedure. Consequently, genders of 73 avian species covering 19 families were successfully identified based on this two-intron approach. This means the ability to sex a wider range of avian species using a simplified procedure, greatly assisting in population management at zoos. Zoo Biol 26:425-431, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.