DOI: 10.5061/dryad.brv15dv9d
title: Health condition data for Platypus from New South Wales and Victoria

description: Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) inhabit the permanent rivers and
 creeks of eastern Australia, from north Queensland to Tasmania, but are
 experiencing multiple and synergistic anthropogenic threats. Baseline
 information of health is vital for effective monitoring of populations but
 is currently sparse for mainland platypuses. Focusing on six hematology
 and serum chemistry metrics as indicators of health and nutrition (packed
 cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, urea,
 creatinine, and triglycerides), we investigated their variation across the
 species’ range and across seasons. We analyzed 259 samples collected from
 platypuses in three river catchments in New South Wales and Victoria.
 Health metrics significantly varied across the species’ range, with
 platypuses from the most northerly catchment, having lower levels of PCV,
 albumin and triglycerides, potentially reflecting thermal stress. The
 Snowy River showed significant seasonal patterns which varied between the
 sexes and coincided with differential reproductive stressors. Male
 creatinine and triglyceride levels were significantly lower than females,
 suggesting that reproduction is energetically more taxing on males. Age
 specific differences were also found, with juvenile PCV and TP levels
 significantly lower than adults. Additionally, the commonly used body
 condition index (tail volume index) was only negatively correlated with
 urea, and triglyceride levels. A meta-analysis of available literature did
 not reveal any significant latitudinal relationship, but this was
 confounded by variation in sampling times which is not commonly reported.
 We provide the first reference intervals of hematology and blood chemistry
 for mainland platypus, highlighting the importance of considering seasonal
 variation, enabling future assessments of individual and population
 health.
description: Trapping
 and handling of platypuses was consistent with guidelines approved by the
 NSW Office of Environmental Heritage (SL101655), NSW Department of Primary
 Industries (P15/0096=1.0 & OUT15/26392), and UNSW’s Animal Care
 and Ethics Committee (16/14A). Between January 2016 and May 2018, 259
 platypuses were trapped using fyke and gill nets, and anesthetized using
 isoflurane gas, as described in Bino, et al.
 <sup>83,</sup>Hawke, et al. <sup>84</sup>,  in
 three river catchments across seven rivers in New South Wales; Border
 Rivers Catchment (Tenterfield Creek n=42, and Severn River n=41, Jan-May
 2016), Snowy Rivers Catchment (Eucumbene n=26, Snowy n=90, Thredbo Rivers
 n=22, Dec 2016-Nov 2017); and Victoria, Upper Murray Rivers Catchment
 (Mitta Mitta n=18, and Ovens Rivers n=20, Jan-May 2018, Fig. 1). Elevation
 was calculated using a one second Digital Elevation Models
 <sup>85</sup> for each sample (Severn 393m-819m, Tenterfield
 373m-816m, Eucumbene 939m-1336m Snowy 745m-847m, Thredbo 921m-1352m, Mitta
 Mitta 282-m541m, Ovens 244m-405m). Body condition of each platypus was
 evaluated using tail volume index (TVI, 1-5 with 1 indicating high levels
 of fat stored in the tail and 5 indicating low levels), a commonly used
 qualitative measure of fat reserves <sup>82</sup>. Sex and
 age were also determined, based on presence and shape
 of spurs <sup>86,87</sup>. Blood samples of 2mL were collected
 from the bill sinus <sup>80</sup>. Packed cell volume (PCV)
 and total protein (TP) were determined using a microhematocrit heparinized
 capillary tube and refractometer, following centrifugation (75mL, 14000 g,
 5 min), with the remaining blood centrifuged (2000 g) for 10 minutes to
 separate serum, which was then stored at -80° C. Chilled serum was
 analyzed in 2019 by Vetnostics Laboratory, using a Cobas 8000 (Roche
 diagnostic systems), providing blood serum chemistry data for albumin,
 urea, creatinine, and triglycerides. Globulin was determined by
 subtracting albumin from the TP.