Mycoplasma prevalence in a reintroduced gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) population

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2019

Abstract

Season can affect many aspects of reptile biology not only because of hormonal changes, but also because of the close association between environmental and reptile internal body temperatures. Despite its importance to disease susceptibility and resistance, we know very little about the effects of seasonality on reptile immune responses. Here, we performed a pilot study to test the effects of season, sex, and immune gene variation on immunocompetence in a species of conservation concern, the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). We examined free-ranging Gopher Tortoises from a reintroduced Louisiana population in June and September for presence/absence of Mycoplasma spp., organisms associated with upper respiratory tract disease in Gopher Tortoises, and production of Mycoplasma antibodies, an indication of exposure to Mycoplasma. We also sequenced part of an immune gene in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and related MHC haplotype, season, sex, and the sex by season interaction to immunocompetence as estimated by microbiocidal killing assays. This pilot research provides an important first step in estimating variability of the parameters examined as well as identifying an appropriate sample size for future research. Our results suggest MHC haplotype and season may influence microbiocidal killing, but our analyses are likely underpowered, especially given the small (partial eta2 = 0.036) and miniscule effect sizes (partial eta2 = 4.0e-7) of parameters predicting C. albicans and E. coli killing, respectively. Mycoplasma was not detected in nasal flushes, and only one tortoise was positive for Mycoplasma agassizii antibodies. These results indicate a reintroduced tortoise population that is relatively free of Mycoplasma.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Herpetological Conservation and Biology

First Page

568

Last Page

577

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