Hematological parameters in small-mouth yellowflsh (Barbia holubi) have been examined from February to November. Seasonal variations were observed in several of the parameters studied. Sexual differences were slight and no significant changes in haematology could be related to breeding season. The results are discussed in relation to other published observations

Hattingh, J

Van Vuren, J.H.J.

English

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THE SEASONAL HAEMATOLOGY OF THE SMALL-MOUTH YELLOWFISH (BARBUS HOLUBl) J. H. J. VAN VUREN* & J. HATTINGHt Department of Zoology, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg ABSTRACT Haematological parameters in small-mouth yellowfish (Barbu., holubl) have been examined from February to November. Seasonal variations were observed in several of the parameters studied. Sexual differences were slight and no significant changes in haematology could be related to breeding season. The results are discussed in relation to other published observations. INTRODUCTION It is well known that the environment plays an important role in the physiology offish and that haematological parameters can give an indication of the patbo-physiological state of the animal (Blaxhall & Daisley ] 973). No detailed observations concerning the normal seasonal effects on the haematology of the small-mouth yellowfish (&rhus holubi) are available. Recently Fourie & Hattingh (1976) have studied the influence of season on the haematology of the carp Cyprinus carpio, and the present study was conducted to establish a possible similar influence of season on the haematology of B.holubiunder laboratory conditions, and also to see whethertbese haematological parameters may be used as an early indicator of breeding activity. This would be useful information because of problems encountered in the artificial breeding of these animals (Mulder 1971). MATERIALS AND METHODS The fish used in the present study were seined each month in the Boskop Dam near Potchefstroom and in the Vaal River near Standerton during the period February to November 1974. They were transported to and maintained in the laboratory as described previously (Hattingh et 01. 1975). A total of80 fish, all sexually mature and in good health, was used. The methods used for anaesthetization, blood sampling and the determination of standard haematological parameters have been described in detail elsewhere (Hattingh 1973, 1974). -Present address: Nature Conservation, Box 517, Bloemfontein. tPresent address: Department ofPhysiology, Medical School, University ofthc Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Zoologlea Afr/eana 11(1): 81-86 (1976) Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). 82 ZOOLOGIC A AFRICANA VOL 11 RESULTS Haematological results Tables 1 and 2 show the results obtained. Blood pH varied between 7,20 and 7,47. This variation is not attributable to season but rather to experimental conditions (Hattingh et al. 1975) Haematocrit (Hc), haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and mean cell volume (MCV) all fluctuated during the year but showed maximum values during September. In contrast, the plasma protein concentration (p. prot.) showed a minimum value during this month. The erythrocyte counts stayed remarkably constant throughout the year, and the leucocyte counts showed peaks during February and July-August. Average corpuscular haemoglobin (ACH) showed a minimum value during July-August and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration per cent (MCHC) peaked during June. 100 .. VI c:: u C 18 9 50 10 20 30 40 so 60 Point of appl. Distance moved (mm, FIGURE 1 Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of B. holubi plasma. The electrophoretogram showed a standard pattern throughout the study period with small variations in concentration of some fractions (see text). Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). 1916 HAEMATOLOGY OF SMALL-MOUTHED YELLOWFISH 83 No large differences were observed between males and females. Mean values for Hc, Hb, erythrocyte and leucocyte counts were higher for the females during the periods Jun~August and September-November than for the males. The same tendency was observed in the mean MCV and ACH values, and the P. prot. and MCHC values were found to be very similar for both sexes throughout the study period. Plasma protein electrophoresis Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the plasma proteins showed no sexual differences throughout the year. The standard pattern obtained is shown in Figure 1. Seasonal variations were slight. During winter (Jun~July) an additional fraction in low concentration appeared next to Fraction 2. During spring (September-October) Fractions 4 and 6 increased in concen-tration and Fractions 7, 8 and 9 decreased. During winter Fractions 13 and 15 increased in concentration and during autumn the same was observed for Fractions 11 and 17. No marked marked changes were observed in the electrophoretograms prior to or during the breeding season (September-November). DISCUSSION Although sexually mature animals, in so far as males could be distinguished from females, were used in this study, it is evident from Tables 1 and 2 that some of them were very young, especially during the first half of the year. This fact could explain the reversal observed in some of the haematological parameters where the males initially showed higher values than the females (first part of the year). However, the haematological parameters correlated poorly with both mass and length and the variations observed in these values are therefore probably not due to the differences in mass and length of the fish used. When compared to the haematological parameters of the only other indigenous fish on which seasonal studies have been done, the carp, B.holubi shows lower mean Hb and erythrocyte counts, and higher P. prot. and leucocyte values (Fourie & Hattingh 1976). Also, in the carp, the males exhibit higher erythrocyte counts, Hc values and Hb concentrations than the females. The reverse was noticed in mean values in the present study (from June to November) and this also differs from the work of Ezzat et al. (1973) on Tilapia zilli. According to Fourie & Hattingh (1976) indigenous carp show maximum values in their erythrocyte counts during October and in their Hb and P. prot. concentrations during July, and a minimum value in leucocyte count during June. The last parameter was found to show a peak during July-August in the present study and Hc and Hb values showed maximum values during September. The results of the present work concerning Hb and Hc values are in agreement with the results of Umminger & Mahoney (1972) on Salmo gairdneri and Murachi (1959) on carp. Taken as a whole, therefore, it appears that different fish species respond differently to environmental conditions and that no definite reactions can be said to occur in the blood of fish due to season. The plasma protein electrophoretogram of B. holubi differs sufficiently from that of other fish species to be used as a means of identification. In contrast to the carp (Fourie & Hattingh 1976), very little seasonal variation is apparent in this parameter and no marked changes occur Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). TABLE 1 ~ Monthly haematological parameters for B. holubi (Means ± S.D.) Erythro- Leuco-Mass Length Hc Hb P.Prot. cyte cytes MCV ACH MCHC Month pH g cm % g% mgjml ](J8jmml J(Jljmm' u8m ng % 7,47 199,24 21,98 31,10 7,32 27,78 1,22 17,03 299,53 66,53 23,77 February ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,18 0,84 3,47 5,48 2,05 14,90 0,51 3,66 135,20 21,97 7,33 7,37 171,48 24,71 34,88 8,12 28,51 1,28 12,92 256,57 62,22 23,45 N March ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0 0,06 38,44 1,72 4,84 1,32 5,58 0,31 4,85 76,04 17,17 2,24 0 7,21 197,28 25,75 35,45 9,04 33,45 1,33 6,01 268,80 60,67 22,80 t"" 0 April ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0 0,11 46,60 1,98 8,46 1,97 2,35 0,03 1,94 51,24 10,33 3,38 .... n 7,38 157,75 24,05 30,97 7,78 28,08 1,19 7,14 262,36 65,27 24,52 > May ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± > 0,13 47,62 2,11 4,83 1,73 8,89 0,02 3,01 43,06 12,31 3,16 "r1 7,29 183,74 25,88 30,07 8,28 23,55 1,34 5,38 206,76 65,21 34,11 := June ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± .... n 0,07 106,59 4,43 13,45 3,77 4,77 0,02 0,93 92,87 13,43 14,92 > 7,43 167,52 23,92 39,44 7,30 26,12 1,27 17,03 306,40 57,42 19,08 Z July ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± > 0,04 39,34 1,26 13,11 1,52 4,49 0,02 9,07 61,40 6,02 2,70 7,41 299,32 27,60 34,44 6,78 25,60 1,30 17,52 267,05 52,93 19,72 August ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,41 60,45 1,92 4,20 1,06 4,97 0,14 6,80 41,32 12,11 2,23 7,20 301,10 30,40 45,60 8,46 19,24 1,25 7,70 358,16 68,08 18,58 September ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,06 65,41 1,20 2,13 0,27 4,34 0,08 2,70 38,86 4,34 1,24 7,26 587,83 37,26 35,53 8,33 24,52 1,23 7,53 279,42 68,97 24,85 October ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,07 370,03 4,08 4,51 0,95 2,97 0,13 3,32 13,40 6,65 3,07 7,34 479,70 31,44 27,80 7,34 25,24 I,ll 6,45 244,96 66,04 27,72 November ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± < 0,08 104,91 10,89 6,83 0,86 6,84 0,40 1,56 53,22 7,69 7,85 0 t"" ... ... Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). TABLE 2 Seasonal values for different sexes of B. holubi (Means ± S.D.) Erythro- Leueo-He Hb P.Prot. eyte eytes Mass Length Season Sex pH % g% mg/ml 10'/mml 10"/mm" g em 7,25 37,08 8,47 31,03 1,28 13,04 177,50 24,8-8 Male ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,14 7,79 1,62 7,73 0,28 10,51 50,39 2,27 March-May 7,33 30,72 7,52 30,16 1,22 6,95 174,43 24,81 Female ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,14 7,54 1,79 7,54 0,33 3,24 49,83 2,16 7,36 26,36 7,02 24,1S 1,28 11,80 208,96 24,41 Male ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,15 8,63 1,07 6,41 0,15 9,13 85,40 3,07 lune-August 7,36 36,50 8,61 25,38 1,35 11,65 215,15 25,29 Female ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,08 12,48 1,88 2,78 0,76 8,50 112,26 3,82 7,30 32,48 7,58 24,90 1,17 7,18 486,92 32,68 Male ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± September- 0,05 8,52 1,03 6,24 0,13 1,43 259,22 5,68 November 7,22 40,27 8,42 21,05 1,22 8,05 621,25 35,21 Female ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0,07 5,88 0,63 4,49 0,10 2,71 308,34 5,97 MCV ACH ulm ng 297,40 67,55 ± ± 70,99 13,97 262,32 62,10 ± ± 42,63 10,98 219,53 55,85 ± ± 74,52 9,36 271,25 63,27 ± ± 84,46 12,96 277,38 65,00 ± ± 63,72 6,67 330,55 69,27 ± ± 46,05 5,SO MCHC % 22,89 ± 2,81 23,85 ± 3,06 28,49 ± 15,82 23,90 ± 8,97 24,06 ± 3,86 21,35 ± 3,88 -~ 0\ =: > tn l' > o-j 0 t"" 0 0 0< 0 "r1 rIl l' > t"" t"" . l' 0 c:: o-j =: tn t::I 0< tn t"" t"" 0 ~ "r1 .... rIl :: 00 VI Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). 86 ZOOLOGICA AFRICANA VOL 11 during the breeding season. In the labora~ory, many of the fish studied during October and November were ripe, i.e. with mature sperm and ova in their gonads, but the slight changes occurring in the electrophoretogram and other blood parameters were not sufficient to allow the identification of a ripe fish. This again differs from the situation in carp (Fourie & Hattingh 1976). Haematological study in the small-mouth yellowfish does therefore not lend itself to the detection of breeding activity, at least not in the laboratory. REFERENCES BLAXHALL, P. c. & DAISLEY, K. w. 1973. Routine haematological methods for use with fish blood. I. Fish BioI. 5: 771-781. EZZAT, A. A., SHABANA, M. B. & FARGHALLY, A. M. 1973. Studies on the blood characteristics of Tilapia zilli (Gervias). I. Blood cells. I. Fish BioI. 6: 1-12. FOURlE, F. LE R. & HATTINClH, J. 1976. A seasonal study of the haematology of carp (Cyprinus carpio) from a locality in the Transvaal, South Mrica. Zool. afro 11: 75-80. HATTINGH, J. 1973. Some blood parameters of the yellowfish (Barbus holubi) and the barbel (Clarias gariepinus). Zool. afro 8: 35-39. HATTINGH, J. 1974. The plasma proteins of Lobeo umbratus (Smith) and lAheo copensis (Smith). I. Fish BioI. 6: 439-446. HATTINGH, J., FOURlE, F. LE R. & VAN VUREN, J. H. J. 1975. The transport offreshwater fish. I. Fish BioI. 7: 447-449. MULDER, P. F. s. 1971. 'n Ekologiese studie van die hengelvisfauna in die Vaalriviersisteem met spesiale verwysing na Barbus kimberleyensis Gilchrist en Thompson. Ph.D. thesis, Rand Mrikaans University. MURACHI, s. 1959. Hemoglobin content, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and hematocrit of the blood in young carp (Cyprinus carpio). I. Fac. Fish. Anim. Husb. Hiroshima Univ. 2: 241-247. UMMINGER, B. L. & MAHONEY, B. I. 1972. Seasonal changes in the serum chemistry of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectus americanus. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 101: 746-748. Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated 2010). 

The seasonal haematology of the Small-Mouth Yellowfish (Barbus holubi)

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The seasonal haematology of the Small-Mouth Yellowfish (Barbus holubi)

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