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Annual variations in plasma retinol and alpha‐tocopherol levels in gentoo and rockhopper penguins
Author(s) -
Monroe Allen
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.1430120507
Subject(s) - biology , retinol , alpha tocopherol , vitamin e , zoology , tocopherol , feather , moulting , vitamin , body weight , endocrinology , biochemistry , ecology , antioxidant , larva
Blood samples were taken throughout the year from captive gentoo Pygoscelis papua (n = 5) and rockhopper Eudyptes crestatus (n = 10) penguins to measure seasonal variations in retinol and alpha‐tocopherol levels. Retinol levels ranged from .58 μg/ml to 1.09 μg/ml and alpha‐tocopherol levels from 30.8 μg/ml to 50.7 μg/ml for the gentoo penguins. The rockhopper penguins' retinol levels ranged from .63 μg/ml to 1.14 μg/ml and alpha‐tocopherol from 22.3 μg/ml to 40.8 μg/ml. Changes in body mass were used as an indicator of the start and duration of feather moult. Food consumption was recorded daily for the year, and the vitamin A and E intake was calculated. Blood vitamin levels of penguins on a supplemented diet were similar to those in the wild. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.