Serum thyroid hormone levels in wild and captive sea turtles

Abstract

Blood samples collected from green (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles were analyzed by radioimmunoassay to detect seasonal variations in thyroid hormones and compare levels in wild and captive individuals. Sexual dimorphism in the annual cycle of thyroxine was observed in adult Kemp's ridley. No differences were observed between immature male and female green and loggerhead sea turtles. The level of triiodothyronine was consistently low relative to thyroxine in all species investigated, and captive sea turtles exhibit higher plasma thyroid levels than do wild ones.