| brown watersnakes (nerodia taxispilota) as bioindicators of mercury contamination in a riverine system. | mercury (hg) is a contaminant that enters the environment through natural or anthropogenic means. ecological risk assessments have examined hg bioaccumulation and effects in many taxa, but little is known about hg dynamics in reptiles, or their potential use as bioindicator species for monitoring hg in aquatic systems. numerous snake species, like north american watersnakes (nerodia spp.), are piscivorous and are exposed to hg through their diet. the purpose of this study was to identify factors ... | 2020 | 33038814 |
| peripheral blood hematology, plasma biochemistry, and the optimization of an in vitro immune-based assay in the brown watersnake (nerodia taxispilota). | reptiles represent a phylogenetic lineage that provides a unique link between ectothermic anamniotes and endothermic amniotes. compared to mammalian and avian species, our understanding of the reptilian immune system is greatly lacking. this gap in knowledge is largely due to an absence of established immune-based assays or specific reagents for these species. in the present study, brown watersnakes (nerodia taxispilota) were live-captured in the wild, sexed, weighed, measured, bled via the caud ... | 2020 | 32808875 |
| ophidiomycosis surveillance of snakes in georgia, usa reveals new host species and taxonomic associations with disease. | ophidiomycosis (snake fungal disease) is caused by the fungus ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and threatens snake health worldwide. it has been documented throughout the eastern united states and severe cases have recently been reported in georgia, usa. to evaluate disease distribution and prevalence in this state, 786 free-ranging snakes were examined for skin lesions consistent with ophidiomycosis and swabbed to detect o. ophiodiicola dna using qpcr. sampled snakes represented 34 species and 4 famil ... | 2020 | 32616837 |