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Mendoza P, Furuta C, Garcia B, Zena LA, Artoni S, Dierenfeld ES, Bícego KC, Carciofi AC. Starch and fiber intake effects on energy metabolism, growth, and carapacial scute pyramiding of red-footed tortoise hatchlings (Chelonoidis carbonaria). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 265:111131. [PMID: 34958956 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Tortoise husbandry includes reports of excessive growth and carapace pyramiding, although triggers still remain to be fully elucidated. Juvenile red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) were fed with two different diets, one high in fiber (HF; 14.2% crude fiber; 39.2% neutral detergent fiber, NDF; dry matter basis, DMB) and one high in starch (HS; 27.7% DMB), to assess effects on energy metabolism, nutrient digestibility, and growth. A total of 20 hatchlings (10 per diet) were used to evaluate: apparent digestibility coefficients (Da) of nutrients and gross energy (GE), passage times at 5 and 11 months of age; resting and post-prandial metabolic rates at 6 and 12 months of age; growth rates; pyramiding; and estimated body composition. Animals fed HS showed higher mass-specific intake of digestible energy (113.9 ± 32.1 kJ kg-1 day-1 vs. 99.6 ± 35.3 kJ kg-1 day-1; P < 0.05), digestible DM (6.1 ± 1.8 g kg-1 day-1 vs. 5.0 ± 1.8 g kg-1 day-1; P < 0.01), shorter transit (3 ± 1 days vs. 4 ± 1 days; P < 0.01) and retention times (8 ± 2 days vs. 10 ± 2 days; P < 0.01), and higher Da of DM, starch, NDF, and GE. Crude protein Da was higher for HF. Rest and post-prandial metabolic rates, and pyramiding degree were not affected by diets. At 13 months, the animals from HS presented wider plastrons and carapaces, and higher carapace width growth rates. In addition, these animals had lower body mineral content (1.88 ± 0.15% vs. 2.15 ± 0.19%; P < 0.01) and bone density (0.13 ± 0.01 g mm-2 vs. 0.15 ± 0.02 g mm-2; P < 0.02). Results provide evidence that highly digestible foods can accelerate shell growth and lower mineralization in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierina Mendoza
- Department of Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Wildhunger-Wildlife Nutrition Advisory, Lima, Peru.
| | - Camila Furuta
- Department of Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Garcia
- Department of Biology Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas A Zena
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Silvana Artoni
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ellen S Dierenfeld
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Zootrition Consulting, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kênia C Bícego
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aulus C Carciofi
- Department of Veterinary Clinic and Surgery, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal, 14884-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
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Lopes AG, Monteiro DA, Kalinin AL. Effects of change in temperature on the cardiac contractility of broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) during digestion. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2021; 335:417-425. [PMID: 33773091 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In many reptiles, digestion has been associated with the selection of higher body temperatures, the so-called post-prandial thermophilic response. This study aimed to investigate the excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling in postprandial broad-snouted caimans (Caiman latirostris) in response to acute warming within a preferred body temperature range of crocodiles. Isometric preparations subjected to a temperature transition from 25°C to 30°C were used to investigate myocardial contractility of postprandial caimans, that is, 48 h after the animals ingested a rodent meal corresponding to 15% of body mass. The caiman heart exhibits a negative force-frequency relationship that is independent of the temperature. At 25°C, cardiac muscle was able to maintain a constant force up to 36 bpm, above which it decreased significantly, reaching minimum values at the highest frequency of 84 bpm. Moreover, E-C coupling is predominantly dependent on transsarcolemmal Ca2+ transport denoted by the lack of significant ryanodine effects on force generation. On the contrary, ventricular strips at 30°C were able to sustain the cardiac contractility at higher pacing frequencies (from 12 to 144 bpm) due to an important role of Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger in Ca2+ cycling, as indicated by the decay of the post-rest contraction, and a significant contribution of the sarcoplasmic reticulum above 72 bpm. Our results demonstrated that the myocardium of postprandial caimans exhibits a significant degree of thermal plasticity of E-C coupling during acute warming. Therefore, myocardial contractility can be maximized when postprandial broad-snouted caimans select higher body temperatures (preferred temperature zone) following feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- André G Lopes
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos-UFSCar/São Paulo State University, UNESP Campus Araraquara, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana A Monteiro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana L Kalinin
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
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Spencer MM, Pierson MT, Gienger CM. Comparative energetics and thermal responses to feeding in allied Agkistrodon snakes with contrasting diet and habitat use. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 190:329-339. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01267-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Butler MW, Lutz TJ, Fokidis HB, Stahlschmidt ZR. Eating increases oxidative damage in a reptile. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:1969-73. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.138875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
While eating has substantial benefits in terms of both nutrient and energy acquisition, there are physiological costs associated with digesting and metabolizing a meal. Frequently, these costs have been documented in the context of energy expenditure while other physiological costs have been relatively unexplored. Here, we tested whether the seemingly innocuous act of eating affects either systemic pro-oxidant (reactive oxygen metabolites: ROM) levels or antioxidant capacity of corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) by collecting plasma during absorptive (peak increase in metabolic rate due to digestion of a meal) and non-absorptive (baseline) states. When individuals were digesting a meal, there was a minimal increase in antioxidant capacity relative to baseline (4%), but a substantial increase in ROMs (nearly 155%), even when controlling for circulating nutrient levels. We report an oxidative cost of eating that is much greater than that due to long distance flight or mounting an immune response in other taxa. This result demonstrates the importance of investigating non-energetic costs associated with meal processing, and it begs future work to identify the mechanism(s) driving this increase in ROM levels. Because energetic costs associated with eating are taxonomically widespread, identifying the taxonomic breadth of eating-induced ROM increases may provide insights into the interplay between oxidative damage and life history theory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas J. Lutz
- Department of Biology, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042, USA
| | - H. Bobby Fokidis
- Department of Biology, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL 32789, USA
| | - Zachary R. Stahlschmidt
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
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Stahlschmidt ZR, Jodrey AD, Luoma RL. Consequences of complex environments: Temperature and energy intake interact to influence growth and metabolic rate. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2015; 187:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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