To improve our understanding of health and immune function in tortoises, we evaluated both standard blood diagnostic (body condition, hematologic, plasma biochemistry values, trace elements, plasma proteins, vitamin A levels) and gene transcription profiles in 21 adult tortoises (11 clinically abnormal; 10 clinically normal) from Clark County, NV, USA. Necropsy and histology evaluations from clinically abnormal tortoises revealed multiple physiological complications, with moderate to severe rhinitis or pneumonia being the primary cause of morbidity in all but one of the examined animals. Improved methods for health assessments are an important element of monitoring tortoise population recovery and can support the development of more robust diagnostic measures for ill animals, or individuals directly impacted by disturbance.

Clinical signs of health, disease, and trauma were collected as part of a long-term research program on Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at a 7.77 square km plot at the fenced Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in the western Mojave Desert, USA. Surveys for health, infectious and non-infectious diseases were initiated in 1993, because of an outbreak of infectious upper respiratory tract disease caused by Mycoplasma agassizii, M. testudineum, and possibly herpesvirus (TeHV2). The disease outbreak was discovered in 1988-1989. Moderate to severe clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease increased over time on four surveys, from 1993 through 2012. Moderate to severe signs of shell lesions (cutaneous dyskeratosis, fungal involvement) varied significantly by year. Moderate to severe clinical signs of healed, healing or moderate trauma varied from 29.8 to 42.3 percent in all sizes of tortoises. Evidence of trauma was best predicted by size-age class of the tortoises with rates increasing as size-class increased.

Clinical signs of health, disease, and trauma were collected as part of a long-term research program on Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at a 7.77 square km plot at the fenced Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in the western Mojave Desert, USA. Surveys for health, infectious and non-infectious diseases were initiated in 1993, because of an outbreak of infectious upper respiratory tract disease caused by Mycoplasma agassizii, M. testudineum, and possibly herpesvirus (TeHV2). The disease outbreak was discovered in 1988-1989. Moderate to severe clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease increased over time on four surveys, from 1993 through 2012. Moderate to severe signs of shell lesions (cutaneous dyskeratosis, fungal involvement) varied significantly by year. Moderate to severe clinical signs of healed, healing or moderate trauma varied from 29.8 to 42.3 percent in all sizes of tortoises. Evidence of trauma was best predicted by size-age class of the tortoises with rates increasing as size-class increased.

This product consists of multiple tabular datasets and associated metadata for clinical status, gene transcripts, and lab results related to presence of Mycoplasma spp. in desert reptiles. To better understand immune responses to pathogenic infections, we conducted an experiment to quantify innate and induced immune responses using gene transcript profiles and measured induced antibody levels for Mycoplasma spp. in Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Data consists of: - Clinical Status Data - Clinical status of presence or absence of nasal discharge, eroded nares, or labored respiration in 15 captive tortoises classified as naive, exposed, or infected. - Gene Transcript Data - Gene transcription values for 11 genes of interest for 14 adult captive male tortoises and 13 adult wild tortoises in Clark County, Nevada, USA. - Laboratory Data - Disease laboratory results for qPCR and ELISA test for five control, five exposed, and five infected captive adult tortoises and 14 reference wild adult tortoises in Clark County, Nevada, USA.

This product consists of multiple tabular datasets and associated metadata for clinical status, gene transcripts, and lab results related to presence of Mycoplasma spp. in desert reptiles. To better understand immune responses to pathogenic infections, we conducted an experiment to quantify innate and induced immune responses using gene transcript profiles and measured induced antibody levels for Mycoplasma spp. in Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Data consists of: - Clinical Status Data - Clinical status of presence or absence of nasal discharge, eroded nares, or labored respiration in 15 captive tortoises classified as naive, exposed, or infected. - Gene Transcript Data - Gene transcription values for 11 genes of interest for 14 adult captive male tortoises and 13 adult wild tortoises in Clark County, Nevada, USA. - Laboratory Data - Disease laboratory results for qPCR and ELISA test for five control, five exposed, and five infected captive adult tortoises and 14 reference wild adult tortoises in Clark County, Nevada, USA.

These data were acquired from 7 study sites distributed across the range of Gopherus agassizii. Data were collected from 1997 to 2002 as part of three separate studies, although data were not collected at all sites in each year. Radio-transmitters were attached to the carapace of 151 females and VHF radio-telemetry was used to relocate animals to assess reproductive status. Egg production was determined from X-radiographs taken weekly/biweekly intervals (depending on the study) using a portable X-ray machine between April and July or August of each year. In addition, the mean carapace length (MCL) of each tortoise was measured at each time of capture or recapture using calipers (mm). A nesting event was recorded if a female previously observed with eggs was observed without eggs during a subsequent X-ray session.

These data were acquired from 7 study sites distributed across the range of Gopherus agassizii. Data were collected from 1997 to 2002 as part of three separate studies, although data were not collected at all sites in each year. Radio-transmitters were attached to the carapace of 151 females and VHF radio-telemetry was used to relocate animals to assess reproductive status. Egg production was determined from X-radiographs taken weekly/biweekly intervals (depending on the study) using a portable X-ray machine between April and July or August of each year. In addition, the mean carapace length (MCL) of each tortoise was measured at each time of capture or recapture using calipers (mm). A nesting event was recorded if a female previously observed with eggs was observed without eggs during a subsequent X-ray session.

During a multi-year demographic study of Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area (Natural Area), in the western Mojave Desert, USA, we recorded evidence of evidence of mesocarnivores that commonly prey on desert tortoises on a 7.77 square-kilometer study area. The study area included land inside and outside the fenced boundary of the Natural Area. We recorded locations, condition and recency of sign, and type of sign present at burrows, dens, and den complexes used by desert kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis), coyotes (Canis latrans), American badgers (Taxidea taxus), and bobcats (Lynx rufus). We also recorded scat piles by species using them, amount, and relative ages of the scats. Scats were checked for evidence of desert tortoise remains. Observations of live mesocarnivores were noted also. We compared differences in predator pressure inside and outside the boundary fence of the Natural Area and whether mesocarnivores were a driver for changes in tortoise demography.

Data on annual and perennial plants were collected during four survey years (1989, 1993, 1997, and 2012) at a 7.77 sq. km the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in the western Mojave Desert as part of a long-term research project on populations and habitat of the threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) spanning 34 years. The data collection and analysis involved comparisons of vegetation inside and outside the fenced Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area.

Data on annual and perennial plants were collected during four survey years (1989, 1993, 1997, and 2012) at a 7.77 sq. km the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in the western Mojave Desert as part of a long-term research project on populations and habitat of the threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) spanning 34 years. The data collection and analysis involved comparisons of vegetation inside and outside the fenced Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area.