Characteristics of Leukocytes and Thrombocytes of Selected Sturgeon Species from Intensive Breeding

Abstract

Palíková M., J. Mare‰, J. Jirásek : Characteristics of Leukocytes and Thrombocytes of Selected Sturgeon Species from Intensive Breeding. Acta Vet. Brno, 1999, 68: 259-264. Analysis of leukocyte and thrombocyte characteristics in Acipenser baerii, Acipenser stellatus and Huso huso sturgeons at the age of about 200 days kept under intensive breeding conditions is presented. The differential leukocyte count of studied fish species was of lymphocytic character (68.0-73.5% of lymphocytes), and the neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes amounted to 21.8-25.1% and 3.0-4.6%, respectively. Statistically significant (p< 0.05) differences were found between individual sturgeon species in morphometric characteristics of studied cells (i.e. thrombocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes). The highest values were found in Acipenser baerii. These results are in good agreement with data on the ploidy in sturgeon species under study. Acipenser baerii, Acipenser stellatus, Huso huso, differential leukocyte count, thrombocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophilic granulocytes, eosinophilic granulocytesThe family Acipenseridae may be divided into two groups with respect to the number of chromosomes and the amount of nuclear DNA. The first group comprises species having a large number of chromosomes (2n = 250). The species A. baerii and A. gueldenstaedti belong to this group. The second group includes, for example, H. huso, A. ruthenus, A. stellatus with lower numbers of chromosomes in their genomes (2n = 118-120) (Vasilyev et al. 1980;Gorshkova et al. 1996;Arefjev and Nikolaev 1991). Several studies have shown correlation between the ploidy in various fish species and the red blood cell size (Arefjev and Nikolaev 1991; Flaj‰hans 1997; Svobodová et al. 1998).The aim of our study was to evaluate interspecies differences in morphological characteristics of leukocytes and thrombocytes in selected sturgeon species (i.e. A. baerii, H. huso and A. stellatus) known for different numbers of chromosomes. Materials and MethodsA total of 10 Acipenser baerii, 10 Huso huso and 5 Acipenser stellatus sturgeons originating from the Fishery Hluboká, Mydlovary farm were sampled (A. baerii in September, A. stellatus a H. huso early in December). All the fish used in the study were clinically healthy without any signs of disease. The fish were kept under intensive breeding conditions in flow-through troughs with controlled environment (water temperature of 20 o C, water oxygen saturation over 80%). Other hydrochemical indicator values assessed in discharge water characterise the environmental conditions suitable for intensive sturgeon culture. The fish were fed complete feeding mixtures. Basic haematological and biochemical parameters have been already published (Jirásek and Mare‰ 1998). Proke‰ et al. (1995ab; studied morphometric characteristics of these sturgeon species with respect to plastic and meristematic signs. Using morphometric characteristics these authors determined the studied species to be pure species.Blood fr...

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