The effects of fasting and increased feeding on plasma thyroid hormones, glucose, and total protein in sea turtles Academic Article

abstract

• The effects of fasting and increased feeding on plasma thyroid hormones, glucose, and total protein levels were investigated in immature greens (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempi) sea turtles. Under constant temperature, nutritional status affected plasma thyroid hormones and glucose level, but not protein level in green and Kemp's ridley turtles. Plasma T4 in green turtles decreased with deprivation of food, but did not do so in Kemp's ridleys. Increased feeding did not affect circulating levels of plasma T4 in either species. Plasma T3, in contrast, tended to decrease during fasting and increase with refeeding or increased feeding. Blood glucose level fell with deprivation of food, but remained constant during increased feeding. Sea turtles may use glycogen or lipid during short-term fasting as in endothermic vertebrates.

authors

• Mackenzie, Duncan

published proceedings

• ZOOLOGICAL SCIENCE

author list (cited authors)

• Moon, D. Y., Owens, D. W., & MacKenzie, D. S.

citation count

• 27

complete list of authors

• Moon, DY||Owens, DW||MacKenzie, DS

publication date

• January 1999

publisher

• Zoological Society of Japan  Publisher

published in

• Zoological Science: an international journal  Journal

keywords

• Metabolic And Endocrine
• Nutrition

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.2108/zsj.16.579

start page

• 579

end page

• 586

volume

• 16

issue

• 4

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.2108%2Fzsj.16.579