Mysterious Lesions on Northern Red-Bellied Cooters
What We Don't Know : :
What We Know
Who?
What?
Where?
Pseudemys rubiventris (Northern Red Belly Cooter)
Large aquatic basking turtle (11-16 in long, 4-7 pounds)
Lives in ponds, lakes, freshwater swamps mainly along the east coast
Known for its red pattern on its plastron
Herbivorous as adults (vegetation), omnivorous as juveniles (small fish, snails, crayfish, insect larvae)
Natural predators include raccoons, wading birds, humans
In some lakes in New Jersey, these turtles are found riddled with lesions on their plastron
While the cause of these lesions is unknown, the NJDEP is conducting research to solve this mystery
These lesions weaken the shell and could leave the turtles susceptible to disease with a weakened immune system
Lesions have been reported in multiple lakes in Salem County, New Jersey, including Daretown Lake
Lake Fred serves as a control site where healthy turtles are sampled as part of a joint project with the NJDEP, Stockton University and Montclair State University researchers
Possible Explanations of the Lesions
Severe case of known disease (Herpes, Ranavirus, cancer)
Fungal infection similar to Snake Fungal Disease
Vitamin or nutrient deficiency
Possible Causes for this Outbreak
Agricultural runoff contaminates water, getsd absorbed by algae that is then eaten by turtle and directly causes the formation of lesions
Agricultural runoff causes mutations in bacteria/viruses that make them more virulent and harmful
Introduction of invasive species from pet release (red-eared slider, softshell turtle) introduces new diseases
Agricultural runoff kills a certain type of plant that the turtle can no longer consume, leaving it with a particular deficiency
Determining a Cause
Red bellies are being sampled at both outbreak sites and control sites to figure out what is causing these lesions
Upon capture, turtles should have a blood sample taken for testing for common turtle diseases like ranavirus and herpes
If possible, collecting a biopsy of the lesions could help determine if they are cancerous
Water and soil quality of the outbreak sites should be measured for abnormal levels of toxic fertilizer runoff
Hybrid breeding between red bellies and red-eared sliders could result in genetic mutations that leave turtles with a weakened immune system or shell weakness
Genome sequencing of infected turtles could determine if the diseased turtles are a weakened hybrid
A deeper look at other keystone species of these ecosystems could reveal a deeper underlying problem that extends beyond the scope of just lesions on red-bellied cooters
Shells scrubs of infected turtles could reveal a type of fungus or bacteria that is not found on healthy turtles