Haematological parameters in a neotropical fish, Corydoras paleatus (Jenyns, 1842) (Pisces, Callichthyidae), captured from pristine and polluted water

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 537; no. 1-3; pp. 25 - 33
• Main Authors: CAZENAVE, Jimena, WUNDERLIN, Daniel Alberto, HUED, Andrea Cecilia, DE LOS ANGELES BISTONI, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-03-2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Anemia; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Callichthyidae; Corydoras paleatus; Discriminant analysis; Environmental conditions; Environmental stress; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hematology; Marine; Pisces; Sewage; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Water pollution; Water quality; Hematology; biomarkers; Biogeography; Biological marker; haematology; aquatic pollution; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Pollution; Hydrobiology; Geographic distribution; Pisces; Neotropical Region; Corydoras paleatus
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1007/s10750-004-1638-z

We report normal ranges of haematological indices in healthy Corydoras paleatus from an unpolluted area. Haematological parameters studied include: erythrocyte counts (Er), haematocrit (Ht), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Normal red blood parameters did not change according to maturation stages, sex or seasons. Then, we compared them with those coming from fish captured in a site polluted by sewage. Fish exposed to pollution presented significantly higher values of Er, Ht, Hb, MCH and MCHC than those captured in an unpolluted area. Discriminant analysis showed that Hb is a key parameter to point out differences between populations exposed to different environmental conditions. We suggest that haematological values of C. paleatus, registered during this study, could be used as biomarkers in future works evaluating the incidence of environmental stress on fish as well as pointing out changes in the water quality.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]