Hematological values of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) present in the high Guajira

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is probably the more well-known sea turtle due to its historical food value and significant amount of research that has been for its conservation,is declared national and internationally as an endangered species of Extinction. In order to determine reference hematological values for Ch. mydas a total of thirty turtles were captured placing nets in the line of coast from Gulf of Venezuela, high Guajira. Blood samples were taken from the dorsal cervical sinuses in all the animals. Red Blood Cell (RBC), White Blood Cell (WBC), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), differential count of leukocytes were measured. The curved carapace length (CCL) and curved carapace width (CCW) were measured in order to estimate the turtles age. The values averages of the hematological parameters were RBC (0.42 x 10(6) mu L), WBC (6.16 x 10(3) mu L L), PCV (29.40%), MCV (730.17 fL), Heterophils (82.9%-5.1023 x 10(3)/mu L), Lymphocytes (14.7%-0.9081 x 10(3)/mu L), Eosinophils (0.47%-0.0236 x 10(3)/mu L), Monocytes (1.97%-0.1259 x 10(3)/mu L). These results coincide with the reference intervals documented for the species. The variability in some of the parameters evaluated could be attributed to factors as age, sex, reproductive state, stress, temperature, capture technique and analysis methods.