Pathology of Oropharyngeal Fibropapillomatosis in Green Turtles Chelonia mydas.

Complete gross and histopathologic examinations of the oral cavity, tongue, pharynx, larynx, and glottis were performed in five Hawaiian green turtles Chelonia mydas with fibropapillomatosis. These examinations demonstrated that the oropharyngeal fibropapillomas were similar to characteristic external fibropapillomas previously described for green turtles. The size, appearance, and anatomic site of the tumors confirmed that these turtles presented total or partial occlusion of the nasopharynx, glottis, larynx, and adjacent tissues. The fibropapillomas of the oropharynx were considered locally invasive and severely modified the morphophysiology of respiration and feeding in these turtles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of oropharyngeal fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles.