Haematological values of three Antarctic penguins: gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Adélie (P. adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarcticus)

Figures & data

Fig. 1  Study area showing the sampling site, Potter Peninsula in King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Fig. 2  Haematological values of gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Adélie (P. adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarcticus) penguins. (a) Haematocrit values are represented as mean (±SE)% of haematocrit in adults (A) and chicks (C). (b) Mean (±SE) haemoglobin concentration (g/dl) in adult penguins. Sample sizes are given in brackets. Significance values are represented by single (p<0.05), double (p<0.01) and triple (p<0.001) asterisks.

Table 1 Serum biochemical reference values for gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Adélie (P. adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarcticus) penguins. Mean (± SD) and sample size (n) of serum biochemistry values are given. Superscript letters ^a(p<0.05), ^b(p<0.01) and ^c(p<0.001) indicate statistically significant differences between species, and single (p<0.05), double (p<0.01) and triple (p<0.001) asterisks indicate significant differences between ages. nd: not determined.

	Gentoo		Adélie		Chinstrap
	Adults	Chicks	Adults	Chicks	Adults	Chicks
(n)	22	17	21	16	18	18
Serum biochemistry	Mean±SD		Mean±SD		Mean±SD
Proteins (g/dl)	3.71±0.42^a,**	2.47±0.74	4.39±0.6	4.20±0.43	3.46±1.1^a,***	2.20±0.87
Lipids (g/l)	8.3±1.7	nd	7.9±0.8	nd	8.3±0.9	nd
Glucose (mg/dl)	201.2±21^c,*	193.0±20.71	285.6±46^b	nd	321.3±15.3^b,c,***	227±12.86
Urea (mg/dl)	10.5±2.12^a	11.25±2.5	15.8±0.07^a	18.67±1.15	13±5.65	13.67±5.03
Creatinine (mg/dl)	0.43±0.05	0.47±0.01	0.33±0.30	0.55±0.09	0.34±0.28	0.38±0.27
Alk. phosphatase (mg/dl)	108±15.56	108.7±30.35	120±53.55	87.67±23.59	71±7.07*	138±11.31*
Sodium (mEq/l)	142.5±6.36	152±9.055	130±20.22	141.7±5.68	164.7±30.6	151.7±1.52
Potassium (mEq/l)	2.5±0.42^b	3.57±0.25	19.05±1.76^b	15.87±3.33	6.23±2.09^b	2.7±0.34
Chloride (mEq/l)	98.5±3.53	114.3±12.09	125.3±4.04	117±0	131.3±38.7	111±4.35
Calcium (mg/dl)	3.2±1.41	3.42±0.80	5.2±1.31	3.53±1.01	3.23±2.04	3.76±1.00
Phosphorus (mg/dl)	5.35±0.21^b	4.85±1.34	13.04±2.67^b	16.8±3.1	5.23±1.66	4.53±0.32
Magnesium (mg/dl)	2.2±0.28	1.45±0.62	2.26±0.30	2.2±0.34	1.4±0.98	1.56±0.58

Fig. 3  Determination of Pygoscelis serum protein fraction by native agarose gel electrophoresis. Serum samples from gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Adélie (P. adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarcticus) adults and chicks were assessed in native agarose gel electrophoresis. Using PHORESIS software, by densitometric analyses four peaks were determined in each sample corresponding to albumin, α (α₁ and α₂), β and γ fractions.

Table 2 Blood serum proteins in gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Adélie (P. adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarcticus). Values of albumin, α₁α₂-globulins, β-globulins, γ-globulins and A/G ratio are represented as mean (±SD) protein fraction (%) in adult and chick penguins. Samples sizes are given in parentheses.

	Gentoo		Adélie		Chinstrap
	Adults (3)	Chicks (4)	Adults (3)	Chicks (3)	Adults (3)	Chicks (3)
Fraction (%)	Mean±SD		Mean±SD		Mean±SD
Albumin	48.65±3.18	52.15±8.11	48.73±1.55	51.17±1.92	46.43±4.70	54.45±2.19
α1α2-Globulins	29.4±2.82	27.15±4.93	31.53±2.67	30.9±3.20	33.17±7.55	28.35±3.18
β-Globulins	12.55±1.20	10.98±4.37	12.23±1.57	10.43±2.21	14.23±1.46	11.2±2.54
γ-Globulins	9.4±0.84	9.72±1.67	7.5±0.0	7.5±1.65	6.167±3.6	6±2.82
A/G ratio	0.95±0.12	1.13±0.35	0.95±0.05	1.047±0.08	0.87±0.16	1.19±0.10