Survey of hemoparasites in Vermont aquatic turtles

Turtle populations are subject to an ever-increasing number of threats stemming from pollution, climate change, and habitat loss. An understanding of hemoparasite prevalence and diversity in turtle populations is essential for assessing their health, monitoring changes over time, and tracking parasite spillover between turtles and other vertebrates. I analyzed 44 turtle samples from 3 different species and 4 different locations in my survey. My goal is to be the first to morphometrically and molecularly identify aquatic turtle parasites in the state to establish a baseline for future research and conservation efforts.