Table 1 Plasma ion concentrations in juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) sampled in the wild.

From: Correlations between environmental salinity levels, blood biochemistry parameters, and steroid hormones in wild juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)

Ion

Sex

July

2018

Aug

2018

Sep

2018

Oct

2018

Feb

2019

Mar

2019

April

2019

May

2019

June

2019

July

2019

Sodium (mmol l−1)

Male

158.50 ± 0.50

166.86 ± 3.29

158.00 ± 3.06

156.63 ± 1.93

152.00

159.50 ± 3.50

157.00

153.00

154.33 ± 1.41

163.50 ± 1.50

Female

155.50 ± 2.50

150.50 ± 2.40*

–

155.00 ± 1.71

154.00

159.00

154.50 ± 3.50

156.00

157.33 ± 0.67

153.00

Potassium (mmol l−1)

Male

5.50 ± 1.00

5.61 ± 0.27

5.43 ± 0.22

5.16 ± 0.17

4.20

5.85 ± 0.25

5.90

5.00

5.32 ± 0.19

6.40 ± 0.80

Female

5.90 ± 0.20

4.80 ± 0.32

–

4.82 ± 0.09

4.50

4.50

6.00 ± 0.10

5.80

5.30 ± 0.44

6.00

Na:K ratio

Male

29.80 ± 5.30

30.03 ± 1.16

29.13 ± 0.67

30.53 ± 0.90

35.30

27.30 ± 0.60

26.60

30.60

29.22 ± 1.06

25.90 ± 3.00

Female

26.35 ± 0.45

31.68 ± 1.50

–

32.23 ± 0.55

34.20

35.30

25.80 ± 1.00

26.90

30.10 ± 2.46

25.50

Chloride (mmol l−1)

Male

115 ± 5.00

123.86 ± 2.59

117.33 ± 0.88

116.38 ± 2.60

113.00

116.00 ± 0.00

106.00

115.00

115.67 ± 1.48

122.00 ± 0.00

Female

112.50 ± 4.50

117.50 ± 1.85

–

117.00 ± 1.57

121.00

129.00

114.00 ± 2.00

107.00

115.67 ± 2.60

117.00

Calcium (mg dl−1)

Male

10.45 ± 0.65

11.24 ± 0.39

10.17 ± 0.34

10.51 ± 0.41

11.00

11.95 ± 0.75

12.30

9.90

11.12 ± 0.25

11.35 ± 0.55

Female

11.10 ± 0.80

9.78 ± 0.28*

–

10.62 ± 0.37

10.00

9.20

10.65 ± 0.35

10.90

11.50 ± 0.26

10.80

Phosphorus (mg dl−1)

Male

5.55 ± 1.25

5.87 ± 0.65

4.83 ± 0.32

3.98 ± 0.29

3.40

6.00 ± 0.90

4.40

4.70

6.40 ± 0.39

5.40 ± 1.40

Female

3.80 ± 0.20

3.80 ± 0.50*

–

4.18 ± 0.19

3.00

3.50

5.65 ± 0.95

5.90

6.27 ± 0.57

4.40

Sample size

Male

2

7

3

8

1

2

1

1

6

2

Female

2

4

0

6

1

1

2

1

3

1

  1. *Significant difference between males and females during the indicated month (p < 0.05). Values shown are averages ± SEM. SEM is not shown in cases including only one animal.
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