Cation composition and osmolality of the hemolymph of the terrestrial crab Gecarcinus lagostoma.
Hemolymph cation concentration and osmolality are reported for male and female specimens of the terrestrial crab Gecarcinus lagostoma collected on Trindade Island, Brazil (20 degrees 36'36" S and 29 degrees 19'26" W). Data for 9 female crabs weighing 133.7 +/- 25.4 g (mean +/- SD) were: osmolality, 816 +/- 85 mOsm/kg H2O; Na+, 357 +/- 55; K+, 7.9 +/- 0.8; Ca2+, 33.5 +/- 2.8 and Mg2+, 15.6 +/- 2.5 mEq/l. There were no significant differences between the female (N = 9) and male (N = 9) hemolymph parameters. The hemolymph Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations and osmolality of G. lagostoma were higher (P less than 0.01) than those of U. cordatus, a previously studied Brazilian gecarcinid crab. These differences are probably due to the higher degree of terrestriality of G. lagostoma compared to U. cordatus.
D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000032:analysis*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium