Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
Diagnosing Domoic Acid Toxicosis in the California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Using Behavioral Criteria: A Novel Approach
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2015
Publication Title
Zoo Biology
Keywords
Domoic acid, California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, Diagnostics, Behavior, Pseudonitzschia, HABs
ISSN
0733-3188
Volume
34
Issue/No.
4
First Page
314
Last Page
320
Abstract
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.
Additional Comments
Oregon Sea Grant award #: NA06OAR4170059; NOAA National Sea Gratn College Program project #: R/BT-50-PD
NSUWorks Citation
Christiana Wittmaack, Garet P. Lahvis, Edward O. Keith, and Caryn Self-Sullivan. 2015. Diagnosing Domoic Acid Toxicosis in the California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Using Behavioral Criteria: A Novel Approach .Zoo Biology , (4) : 314 -320. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/660.
DOI
10.1002/zoo.21217
Comments
©2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc.