HEMATOLOGICAL VALUES OF SOME Bothrops SPECIES (OPHIDIA - CROTALIDAE) IN CAPTIVITY

J. C. TROIANO(1), J. C. VIDAL(1), E. F. GOULD(2), J. HEKER(1), J. GOULD(2), A. U. VOGT(1), C. SIMONCINI(1), E. AMANTINI(2), A. DE ROODT(3)

(1)Area de Iología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Angel Gallardo 470 (1405) Buenos Aires, Argentina; (2)Fundación de Estudios Biológicos, Gral. Urquiza 1940/42 (1109) Buenos Aires, Argentina; (3)Instituto Nacional de Producción de Biológicos Carlos G. Malbran (ANLIS) Av. Velez Sarsfield 560 Buenos Aires- Argentina.

ABSTRACT. Blood samples of 50 healthy specimens from each of the following species: Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops jararacussu, Bothrops moojeni, and Bothrops neuwiedi diporus all kept in captivity were taken to determine the hematocrit (PCV) value, red blood cell count (RBC), total leukocyte (WBC) and differential leukocyte count, thrombocyte count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), hemoglobin concentration (HbC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). These hematological parameters were compared to those obtained from other Bothrops species. PCV values, RBC, hemoglobin, WBC count, and differential leukocyte count are within the range of values reported for other Bothrops species, while the thrombocyte count was significantly lower. All the hematological parameters obtained from the four studied Bothrops species were higher than those described for B. ammodytoides.

KEY WORDS: hematology, snakes, Bothrops, captivity.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

J. C. TROIANO – Area de Iología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Pringles 760 3ro. 17, 1182 Buenos Aires, Argentina Email: juancarlostroiano@hotmail.com