Internal sonic transmitter implantation in sturgeon (Acipenseridae)

• Main Author: Boone, Sinkey Shaun
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: uga 2011
• Subjects: Sturgeon; Surgery; Telemetry; Suture Materials; Plasma Cortisol; Hernandez; Jennings; Shelton; Sonia; Acipenser baerii; Siberian sturgeon
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10724/27668; http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/boone_sinkey_s_201112_ms

Surgical methods used for transmitter implantation should be carefully evaluated to determine their effect on fish. One-hundred twenty Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) were assigned to one of four surgical groups: Monocryl-Plus (triclosan-coated poliglecaprone 25), Monocryl (poliglecaprone 25), Vicryl (polyglactin 910), or Prolene (polypropylene). Fifteen fish in each surgical group received an intracoelomic sonic transmitter. Thirty fish were assigned to the control group. Post-operative assessments evaluated surgical healing, transmitter retention, and physiological and pathological effects of intracoelomic transmitters. Incisions closed with Vicryl or Prolene were more likely to exhibit erythema or incomplete healing compared to Monocryl or Monocryl-Plus. Long-term transmitter presence did not increase plasma cortisol levels or affect growth. Organ damage was not evident when adhesions were present. Results indicated that overall transmitter loss was 36.2%. Based on the results, I recommend using either Monocryl or Monocryl-Plus when performing a coeliotomy with intracoelomic transmitter implantation in sturgeon. MS Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Forest Resources Sonia Hernandez Sonia Hernandez James Shelton Douglas Peterson Cecil Jennings Stephen J. Hernandez-Divers