Mast Cell Tumour in a Giant Galapagos Tortoise (Geochelone nigra vicina)

Abstract

A well-differentiated cutaneous mast cell tumour was diagnosed in a subadult female giant Galapagos tortoise. The tumour was a pedunculated, verrucose mass located near the base of the neck. The histological features, which were diagnostic for a mast cell tumour, included abundant intracytoplasmic granules that were stained metachromatically with Giemsa and toluidine blue stains. Mast cell tumours are rare in reptiles, and this is the first description of a mast cell tumour in a chelonian.

Se diagnosticó un mastocitoma cutáneo bien diferenciado en una hembra subadulta de tortuga gigante de Galápagos. El tumor era una masa verrucosa pedunculada situada cerca de la base del cuello. Las características histológicas que eran diagnósticas de un tumor de mastocitos, incluían abundantes gránulos intracitoplasmáticos que se tiñeron con tinción de Giemsa y azul de toluidina. Los tumores de mastocitos son raros en los reptiles, y ésta es la primera es la primera descripción de un mastocitoma en un quelonio.