Percid Fish Sander lucioperca Displays Broad Hematological Adaptability: Sex-Related Response to Different Seasons and Habitats

• Published in: Proceedings of the Zoological Society 2022, Vol.75 (4), p.428-436
• Main Authors: Mitrašinović-Brulić, Maja, Škrijelj, Rifat, Suljević, Damir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptability; Animal Anatomy; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biochemical oxygen demand; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemical oxygen demand; Conservation Biology/Ecology; Environmental factors; Erythrocytes; Females; Hematocrit; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Histology; Leukocytes; Life Sciences; Males; Morphology; Oxygen consumption; Research Article; Sander lucioperca; Summer; Variation; Water pollution; Water quality; Zoology
• ISSN: 0373-5893; 0974-6919
• DOI: 10.1007/s12595-022-00455-0

The significance of hematological parameters in freshwater fish as indicators of various environmental factors provides insight into their physiological status. This study explores water quality parameters across different seasons and their effects on hematological parameters in Sander lucioperca perch. Two natural habitats of perch in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Neretva and Modrac) were selected. WBC (white blood cells), (MCH) mean corpuscular hemoglobin and RBC (red blood cells) variations in females were found only at the Neretva site. Significant variations were observed in males at both localities, namely in WBC, MCH, RBC, HB (hemoglobin) and HCT (hematocrit) in males from Neretva, as well as HCT and MCV (mean corpuscular volume) in males from Modrac. In all seasons, WBC values were significantly higher in females from Modrac compared to those from Neretva, while RBC values were significantly different only during spring and summer. Males from Modrac had significantly higher WBC values during all seasons compared to males from Neretva. Variations were observed in males for MCH, MCV, RBC and HCT during the summer. Increased values of BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand) and N (total nitrogen) were recorded during the summer in Modrac and the temperature did not vary significantly between the two sites. In both areas, males and females exhibited different reactions for certain parameters in different seasons. Due to anthropogenic loads and water pollution summer is the worst season in Modrac, as indicated by high values of BOD5, COD (chemical oxygen consumption) of water and high WBC count. Analysis of water quality parameters, anthropogenic load, season and sexual characteristics must be considered to establish a reference range for hematological indicators of fish.