Delphinid postmortem vitreous humor biochemistry as proxy for antemortem blood analyte concentrations.

The article published in Marine Mammal Science explores the use of postmortem vitreous humor (VH) biochemistry as a proxy for antemortem blood analyte concentrations in delphinids. The study analyzed samples from stranded delphinids, including bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, Risso's dolphins, and white-beaked dolphins. Results indicated that certain analytes, such as urea nitrogen (UN) and chloride (Cl), showed high agreement between VH and serum/plasma concentrations, while others like creatinine (CREA) and osmolality (Osmol_calc) displayed consistent differences. The study highlights the potential forensic utility of VH biochemistry in delphinids, providing valuable insights into antemortem health status and metabolic state. [Extracted from the article]