Haematological and Serum Biochemical Profile of the Blue Crab, Callinectes amnicola from two Tropical Lagoon Ecosystems

Abstract

Haematology and serum biochemistry of the crab, Callinectes amnicola from Epe and Lagos Lagoon in southwest Nigeria were investigated from March –August, 2013. Haemocyte samples were analyzed for haematological and biochemical parameters. The Total Haemocyte count (THC) of C. amnicola from Epe and Lagos Lagoon were 3.08±0.52 and 3.19±0.48 x107/mL respectively and three types of haemocyte subpopulation were identified viz: hyalinocytes, semigranulocytes and granulocytes. The haemocytic subpopulation of crabs from both sites were dominated by hyalinocytes (71.36±6.42; 64.80±2.54%), granulocytes (19.80±6.45; 26.97±3.85%) and semigranulocytes (8.66±0.86; 8.09±3.44%) and crabs from Lagos Lagoon had a higher granulocyte (26.97%) subpopulation than crabs from Epe Lagoon (19.80%). Hyalinocytes had the smallest cell size (8.95±1.62μm); semigranulocytes were intermediate (13.49±2.37μm) while granulocytes were the largest of all cell types (19.37±2.76μm). Principal component (PCA) biplots showed that dissolved oxygen (R²=-0.73) and pH (R²=-0.83) were positively correlated with hyalinocytes (R²=- 0.88) for Epe Lagoon crabs while granulocytes and THC (R²=0.47) showed a negative correlation with pH (R²=-0.80) and DO (R²=-0.76) for Lagos Lagoon crabs. Albumin (R²=-0.75) and total protein (R²=- 0.57) showed positive correlation with pH (R²=-0.84) and DO (R²=-0.69) for Epe Lagoon crabs while creatinine (R²=0.68), potassium (R²=0.93) and sodium (R²=0.69) showed positive correlation with globulin (R²=0.81) and negative correlation with pH (R²=-0.84) and DO (R²=-0.69) Although the baseline values for C. amnicola were provided for these aquatic ecosystems, values show a great dependence on habitat quality and is an indication of organism response to varying habitat conditions.

Keywords: haemocytes, haematology, serum biochemistry, Callinectes amnicola, Epe and Lagos Lagoon