On behalf of my coauthors I would like to announce the the publication of Diagnosing Domoic Acid Toxicosis in the California Sea Lion (Zalophus Californianus) Using Behavioral Criteria: A Novel Approach in the Journal of Zoo Biology.
Wittmaack, C., Lahvis, G. P., Keith, E. O. and Self-Sullivan, C. (2015), Diagnosing domoic acid toxicosis in the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) using behavioral criteria: A novel approach. Zoo Biol., 34: 314–320. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21217 Domoic acid toxicosis in the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is difficult to diagnose using presence of toxin alone because the duration of domoic acid presence in blood and urine is generally less than 48 hr following exposure. Because domoic acid toxicosis is often suggested by presentation of behavioral abnormalities, we asked whether assessment of behavior might be useful for diagnostic purposes. We developed an ethogram to categorize behavioral data collected via continuous focal animal sampling. In total, 169 subjects were observed at a rehabilitation center. Sea lions with domoic acid toxicosis displayed head weaving (P < 0.0001) and muscle fasciculations (P < 0.01) significantly more often than animals in a comparison group. Dragging hind flippers and swift scanning were observed exclusively in animals from the domoic acid toxicosis group. The data show that behavioral diagnostic criteria can be effective in the diagnosis of domoic acid toxicosis in the California sea lion. Zoo Biol. 34:314–320, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. You can access the article online at the following web address: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21217/abstracthttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21217/abstract PDF reprints are available upon request. To receive them, please contact Christiana Wittmaack at cw...@nova.edu. Cheers, Please note updated contact information since publication: Christiana Wittmaack M.S. Ph.D. Student/Research Assistant Texas Tech University The Institute of Environmental and Human Health Department of Environmental Toxicology 1207 Gilbert Drive Box 41163 Lubbock, Texas, 79409
_______________________________________________ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
