Honors Thesis Archive

AuthorJosie Paazig
TitleFungal and Bacterial Populations on Clemmys guttata and Chrysemys picta in Clark County, Ohio, and Kinosternon steindachneri and Virginia valeriae in Lafayette County, Mississippi
DepartmentBiology
AdvisorRichard Phillips
Year2022
HonorsUniversity Honors
Full TextView Thesis (813 KB)
AbstractRecently fungal communities have been observed on wetland and freshwater reptiles in the United States including Ophidiomycosis, or Snake Fungal Disease. Examination of fungal and bacterial communities present on spotted and painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) in Clark County, Ohio was done following the discovery of potential necrosis on spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata). The presence of a specific pathogenic fungal population may account for the decline in population of spotted turtles. Additional analysis of fungal and bacterial populations in common mud turtles (Kinosternon steindachneri) and smooth earthsnakes (Virginia valeriae) in Lafayette County, Mississippi was also conducted. The bacterial and fungal communities found on the snake and turtle populations may be found to be similar between the species and further exploration and research should be done to determine which communities are present in these wetland habitats.

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