Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA,
Section of Zoological Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14856, USA.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2021 Jan;51(4):933-947. doi: 10.1638/2020-0094.
The blue iguana () is an endangered rock iguana species native to Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. Health assessments were conducted on captive and free-roaming iguanas in 2001 and 2003-2014 and were performed in the summer wet season (June-July) of 2003-2004 and 2010-2014 and in the winter dry season (November-December) of 2001 and 2005-2009. Morphometric data were recorded from iguanas when blood samples were collected: 903 samples were collected and data from 890 samples from 775 iguanas were included. Samples were analyzed for hematology, plasma biochemistry, protein electrophoresis, mineral panels, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and testosterone. Reference intervals were created for captive subadults, captive adults, and free-roaming adults when data were sufficient. Significant differences among these groups were described, as were differences on the basis of sex, season, and origin (captive vs free-roaming). In captive iguanas, most analytes were significantly different between subadults and adults, mature heterophils and copper were significantly higher in the dry season, zinc levels were significantly higher in the wet season, and cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly higher in adult females than adult males. Testosterone in adult males was significantly higher in the dry season. These results will aid in future health assessments and disease investigations in wild and captive populations of blue iguanas and are of comparative value for other species that are free-roaming, captive, and, especially, in similar conservation release programs.
蓝鬣蜥（）是一种濒危的岩鬣蜥物种，原产于开曼群岛的大开曼岛。2001 年和 2003-2014 年对圈养和自由放养的鬣蜥进行了健康评估，并分别于 2003-2004 年和 2010-2014 年的夏季雨季（6-7 月）和 2001 年以及 2005-2009 年的冬季旱季（11-12 月）进行了健康评估。在采集血液样本时记录了鬣蜥的形态测量数据：采集了 903 个样本，其中 890 个样本来自 775 只鬣蜥的数据。对样本进行了血液学、血浆生化、蛋白质电泳、矿物质分析、25-羟维生素 D 和睾酮分析。当数据充足时，为圈养亚成体、圈养成体和自由放养成体创建了参考区间。描述了这些组之间的显著差异，以及基于性别、季节和来源（圈养与自由放养）的差异。在圈养鬣蜥中，大多数分析物在亚成体和成体之间存在显著差异，成熟异嗜粒细胞和铜在旱季显著升高，锌水平在雨季显著升高，成年雌性的胆固醇和甘油三酯显著高于成年雄性。成年雄性的睾酮在旱季显著升高。这些结果将有助于未来对蓝鬣蜥野生和圈养种群的健康评估和疾病研究，并对其他自由放养、圈养的物种具有比较价值，特别是在类似的保护释放计划中。
