VARIATION OF HEMOCYANIN CONCENTRATION IN THE BLOOD OF FOUR SPECIES OF HALIOTIS

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Abstract
The concentrations of non-protein nitrogen, non-hemocyanin protein, copper, and hemocyanin were estimated in samples of blood from Heliotis fulgens, H. corrugata, H. cracherodii, and H. rufescens. Average non-hemocyanin protein values for the 1st 3 species were 0.20, 0.24 and 0.14 gm/100 ml. The median concentration of hemocyanin in the blood of 107 fulgens was 0.54 gm/100 ml. The range was 0.03 to 1.89 gm/100 ml. The median concentrations of hemocyanin for H. corrugata and H. cracherodii were 0.15 and 0.38 gm/100 ml, while the ranges were 0.0017 to 1.53 (26 individuals), and 0.210 to 2.03 gm/100 ml (7 individuals), respectively. Estimates of concentration ranges could not reliably be made on H. rufescens blood, but they were somewhat lower than those for the other 3 species. The hemocyanin concentration in H. fulgens blood was not related to the size of animal, nutritional state, reproductive activity, sex, depth in water column, or time of year. The great range in hemocyanin concentration, 60-fold for H. fulgens, is not compatible with any physiological function so far suggested.

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