10.5061/DRYAD.BRV15DV9D
Stewart, Jana
0000-0002-2543-680X
UNSW Sydney
Bino, Gilad
UNSW Sydney
Hawke, Tahneal
UNSW Sydney
Kingsford, Richard
UNSW Sydney
Health condition data for Platypus from New South Wales and Victoria
Dryad
dataset
2021
FOS: Biological sciences
Australian Research Council
https://ror.org/05mmh0f86
LP150100093
Taronga Conservation Society*
2021-11-29T00:00:00Z
2021-11-29T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95544-z
51992 bytes
6
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) inhabit the permanent rivers and
creeks of eastern Australia, from north Queensland to Tasmania, but are
experiencing multiple and synergistic anthropogenic threats. Baseline
information of health is vital for effective monitoring of populations but
is currently sparse for mainland platypuses. Focusing on six hematology
and serum chemistry metrics as indicators of health and nutrition (packed
cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, urea,
creatinine, and triglycerides), we investigated their variation across the
species’ range and across seasons. We analyzed 259 samples collected from
platypuses in three river catchments in New South Wales and Victoria.
Health metrics significantly varied across the species’ range, with
platypuses from the most northerly catchment, having lower levels of PCV,
albumin and triglycerides, potentially reflecting thermal stress. The
Snowy River showed significant seasonal patterns which varied between the
sexes and coincided with differential reproductive stressors. Male
creatinine and triglyceride levels were significantly lower than females,
suggesting that reproduction is energetically more taxing on males. Age
specific differences were also found, with juvenile PCV and TP levels
significantly lower than adults. Additionally, the commonly used body
condition index (tail volume index) was only negatively correlated with
urea, and triglyceride levels. A meta-analysis of available literature did
not reveal any significant latitudinal relationship, but this was
confounded by variation in sampling times which is not commonly reported.
We provide the first reference intervals of hematology and blood chemistry
for mainland platypus, highlighting the importance of considering seasonal
variation, enabling future assessments of individual and population
health.
Trapping and handling of platypuses was consistent with guidelines
approved by the NSW Office of Environmental Heritage (SL101655), NSW
Department of Primary Industries (P15/0096=1.0 & OUT15/26392), and
UNSW’s Animal Care and Ethics Committee (16/14A). Between January 2016 and
May 2018, 259 platypuses were trapped using fyke and gill nets, and
anesthetized using isoflurane gas, as described in Bino, et al. 83,Hawke,
et al. 84, in three river catchments across seven rivers in New South
Wales; Border Rivers Catchment (Tenterfield Creek n=42, and Severn River
n=41, Jan-May 2016), Snowy Rivers Catchment (Eucumbene n=26, Snowy n=90,
Thredbo Rivers n=22, Dec 2016-Nov 2017); and Victoria, Upper Murray Rivers
Catchment (Mitta Mitta n=18, and Ovens Rivers n=20, Jan-May 2018, Fig. 1).
Elevation was calculated using a one second Digital Elevation Models 85
for each sample (Severn 393m-819m, Tenterfield 373m-816m, Eucumbene
939m-1336m Snowy 745m-847m, Thredbo 921m-1352m, Mitta Mitta 282-m541m,
Ovens 244m-405m). Body condition of each platypus was evaluated using tail
volume index (TVI, 1-5 with 1 indicating high levels of fat stored in the
tail and 5 indicating low levels), a commonly used qualitative measure of
fat reserves 82. Sex and age were also determined, based on presence and
shape of spurs 86,87. Blood samples of 2mL were collected from the bill
sinus 80. Packed cell volume (PCV) and total protein (TP) were determined
using a microhematocrit heparinized capillary tube and refractometer,
following centrifugation (75mL, 14000 g, 5 min), with the remaining blood
centrifuged (2000 g) for 10 minutes to separate serum, which was then
stored at -80° C. Chilled serum was analyzed in 2019 by Vetnostics
Laboratory, using a Cobas 8000 (Roche diagnostic systems), providing blood
serum chemistry data for albumin, urea, creatinine, and triglycerides.
Globulin was determined by subtracting albumin from the TP.