HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Honeyfield, D. C. Articles by Hinterkopf, J. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Honeyfield, D. C. Articles by Hinterkopf, J. P.

¹ U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory, 176 Straight Run Road, Wellsboro Pennsylvania 16901, USA
² Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, P.O. Box 110430, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
³ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 South Main Street, Gainesville, Florida 32601, USA
⁴ Department of Pathology, Disney’s Animal Programs, 1200 N Savannah Circle, Bay Lake, Florida 32830, USA
⁵ Department of Genetics, 402 Volker Hall, 160 University Blvd., University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA
⁶ U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Wildlife Unit, P.O. Box 110430, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
⁷ Corresponding author (email: honeyfie{at}usgs.gov)

ABSTRACT:   An investigation of adult alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) mortalities in Lake Griffin, central Florida, was conducted from 1998–2004. Alligator mortality was highest in the months of April and May and annual death count peaked in 2000. Bacterial pathogens, heavy metals, and pesticides were not linked with the mortalities. Blood chemistry did not point to any clinical diagnosis, although differences between impaired and normal animals were noted. Captured alligators with signs of neurologic impairment displayed unresponsive and uncoordinated behavior. Three of 21 impaired Lake Griffin alligators were found to have neural lesions characteristic of thiamine deficiency in the telencephalon, particularly the dorsal ventricular ridge. In some cases, lesions were found in the thalamus, and parts of the midbrain. Liver and muscle tissue concentrations of thiamine (vitamin B₁) were lowest in impaired Lake Griffin alligators when compared to unimpaired alligators or to alligators from Lake Woodruff. The consumption of thiaminase-positive gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) is thought to have been the cause of the low tissue thiamine and resulting mortalities.
  Key words:  Alligator, blood chemistry, crocodilian, gizzard shad, heavy metals, histopathology, mortality, organochlorine pesticides, thiaminase.