Hepatic Neoplasia in Two Bog Turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) from the Same Massachusetts Fen
Massachusetts’ Bog Turtle population—already isolated and declining—showed two cases of hepatic neoplasia in 2020. Finding tumors in turtles from the same fen raises conservation concerns for disease monitoring and threat assessment in this critically endangered species.
Subject Tags
- Wetlands
- Biodiversity
- Life Sciences
Abstract
Massachusetts populations of Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Bog Turtle) encompass the northeasternmost limit of the species' range. Populations of this species have declined primarily as a result of habitat alterations and fragmentation. We report hepatic neoplasia in 2 adult Bog Turtles from the same fen in Massachusetts in the spring and summer of 2020. The presence of neoplasia in 2 turtles from the same site is notable and has potential conservation implications for disease surveillance and research, population monitoring, and threats assessment of this critically endangered species that often occurs in small, isolated populations.
Citation
Conley, K.J., Jones, M.T., Crouch, E., Bartlett, S.L., Sirois-Pitel, A., McAloose, D. and Murray, M., 2024. Hepatic neoplasia in two bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) from the same Massachusetts Fen. Northeastern Naturalist, 31(sp12), pp.G18-G27. https://doi.org/10.1656/045.031.s1207
TNC Authors
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Angela Sirois-Pitel
Watershed Conservation Manager, Massachusetts
The Nature Conservancy