Effects of Altitude and Temperature on Erythrocyte Morphology of Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes, 1833)

Abstract

The decrease in erythrocyte size of animals live at high altitudes yields an evolutionary advantage to survive by providing adaptation to colder temperatures and low partial oxygen pressures. We examined the effect of geographical changes on the erythrocyte morphology of two terrapins, Emys orbicularis and Mauremys rivulata , and analyzed whether such erythrocyte characteristics as size and volume changed at high altitudes and different temperatures. We found out that the erythrocyte characteristics varied both within and between the populations. They varied depending on altitude for E. orbicularis and on temperature for M. rivulata . However, the erythrocyte characteristics were not correlated with the environmental parameters, except between sunshine duration and erythrocyte length, size, and nucleus volume for E. orbicularis .