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MEASUREMENTS
IN FISHES,
AMPHIBIA,
AND REPTILES'
F. A. HARTMAN AND M. A. LESSLER
Department of Physiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus 10, Ohio
Gulliver (1875) made an extensive study of the size of the red cells in verte
brates, extending over a period of years. Cullen ( 1903 ) gives values for the skate
and dogfish, while Cleland and Johnston ( 1912) reported a considerable series,
especially birds. Although Wintrobe ( 1961) tabulated the results of many investi
gators on red cell size, there have been relatively few reports of new red cell
measurements
and many
species
remain
unreported.
The size and shape of red cells gives an indication of the surface available for
the exchange of gases in respiratory functions.
Study of erythrocytes in many dif
ferent species provides an interesting comparison of red cell size in relation to
activities and habits.
While collecting specimens for adrenal studies, we were
frequently
and studied.
TI-mematerial
was obtained
These
were air-dried
in Panama
and ti-me
Blood smears were made immediately after the death of the animal. These were
air-dried promptly and stored until prepared for study in the laboratory.
Staining
was carried out under controlled conditions.
Five drops of standard Wright's stain
were allowed to remain on the slide for one minute before addition of a pH 6.5
buffer.
to stand
at room
temperature
and
then washed with distilled water for 30 seconds and allowed to dry.
Ten cells on each slide, selected
for excellence
of staining
and internal
cytology,
84
L/@NucleusRatio
pLength
@RajidaeRajaerinacea20.3
.31.37DasyatidaeDasyatis
g@Width
1.512.911.578.4
.86.1
.3813.80.241.428.10.246.90.241.17AnguilhidaeAnguila
centrura (4)19.7
E0.37.60.31.513.80.23.2E0.51.19Leptocephalus
rostrata11.5
+1.57.711.434.00.53.30.51.21LabridaeTautogo
conger10.9
0.357.30.181.444.10.153.00.151.37Trigli4aePrionotus
onitis (3)10.5
(4)11.150.157.30.321.534.8+0.283.0d0.l51.37BatrachoididaeOpsanustau14.9
carolinus
212.921.155.8+0.85.211.11Lophii4aeLophius
+0.5
1.195.1 3.3+0.84.60.5
4.711.11
1.6 2
11.211.13
13.6+1.310.3E1
piscatorius1
the standard
1.13
error
involved.
RESULTS
Among
the fishes
studied,
the elasmobranch
erythrocytes
are nearly
twice
the
size of the erythrocytes in the teleosts, and their width is a little more than half their
length. The cytosomes of Opsanus and Lophius are almost as wide as long (ratio
1.1 5 to i .19) . In all of the fishes the ratio of length to width of the nucleus
TABLE
II
L/WLength
Family and speciesCytosomeRatio
@iAmphiumid,ae
pWidth
L/@NucleusRatio
@Length
pWidth
Amphiumatridactylum
Proteidae
Neeturus maculosus
1.48
18.51.04 12.50.30
19.20.91 13.4+0.53
1.48
1.43
30.20.85 17.40.32
1.74
Bufonidae
Bufomarinus
7.40.56
7.60.38
5.20.46
5.60.41
1.42
1.36
Hylidae
20.30.22 13.40.27
1.52
7.40.17 4.50.15
1.64
Hylagratiosa
Ranidae
15.40.401.78 1.8126.40.76
27.90.4536.60.39
10.30.3116.80.45
Rams catesbiana65.31.27
5.60.271.57 1.84
VERTEBRATE
shows
little
range
( 1.11 to 1.37),
the width
being
85
somewhat
less than
the
length.
(56 /h to 65 @L
by 37 @&
to.38
to 28 .@by 13
in the cytosomes
erythrocytes
to 15
is 1.5 or larger.
observed
of the anurans
in our
is one-half
The
ratio
of length
to width
in the
the reptiles,
of crocodilids
studied,
the cytosome
and
nuclear measurements are similar to those in elasmobranchs except that the ratios
of length to width in the cytosomes and nuclei are greater (Table III).
In the
lizards there are considerable differences.
Reptilian red cell lengths range from
TABLE III
L/@Length
Family and speciesCytosomeNucleusRatio
@CrocodiidaeCayman
)IWidth
L/WRatio
@Length@iwidth
(3)20.60.5910.90.461.887.10.194.10.571.74IguanidaeAnolis
scierops
carolinensis14.80.4210.30.391.446.00.063.80.181.59Anolis
0.871.847.60.294.80.271.58Anolis
polylepis (3)18.40.4710.1
pachypus15.60.838.30.441.886.10.753.00.172.03Anolis
(3)18.50.3712.00.641.548.00.185.20.101.54Sceloporus
biporcatus
(6)16.90.449.80.271.726.60.253.50.231.89Basiiscus
malachiticus
americanus19.31.04
12.10.471.60 1.547.60.42
6.50.156.40.40
18.60.3111.60.57
5.50.121.19
1.18Iguana
iguana15.40.287.50.372.065.60.244.50.351.34TeiidaeAnadiaocellata16.31.189.00.761.815.70.353.20.271.78Cnemidophoruss
(3)15.00.168.6+0.461.75.5.90.233.5E0.201.66ScincidaeEumecesfasciatus15.90.168.50.161.875.10.163.10.101.67
praesignis
15
to 19
In general,
larger
from
than
erythrocytes
those
in
elasmobranchs.
The
length
cytosome
to width
to permit
free
movement
ratios
.t
to 23 @&)
; some are even
length
to
from
width
ratios
1.35 to 2.5.
of erythrocytes
(5.1
we can
range
Measure
that
the
diameter of the smallest capillaries must be no less than the smaller diameter of
the erythrocyte.
With this assumption it is interesting to compare the minimal
capillary diameters of different species and groups of vertebrates.
The capillaries
86
@
@
F. A. HARTMAN
AND
M. A. LESSLER
size
Since the erythrocyte is the most important carrier of oxygen and carbon
dioxide, its surface area to size ratio is a determining factor in the exchange of these
TABLE
IV
pColubridaeSpilotes
,@Length
pwidth
pullatus17.70.2410.30.181.727.10.193.70.201.92Dryadophis
boddaerti16.30.5511.00.921.487.00.634.50.831.56Masticophisfiagellum
(3)16.50.2312.60.491.316.80.124.20.111.62Clelia
(3)20.20.4511.00.221.827.30.403.70.111.97Erythrolamprus
delia
bizonus19.80.3413.00.271.528.00.273.70.092.16Leimadophis
epinephalus16.90.9411.70.521.447.70.453.60.332.14Leimadophis
taeniurus19.20.4612.30.131.567.80.343.10.132.52Thalerophis
occidenkilis15.50.2011.70.281.326.00.594.20.321.43Dendrophidion
paucicarinatus17.10.0412.50.761.366.60.703.80.501.73Thamnophis
sauritus16.40.2313.40.271.227.40.174.50.151.64Natrix
sipendon18.20.84
12.30.251.41
1.72Natrix
18.40.3513.81.28
1.496.80.74
7.40.244.50.74
4.30.091.51
taxispilota18.50.2811.70.261.585.80.114.30.121.35Lampropeltis
doliaki18.1
0.844.40.481.61Eiaphe
1.021 1.80.961.537.1
guttaki18.90.2811.80.161.596.20.143.60.131.72Coluber
(4)15.30.1112.10.341.266.70.283.80.081.76Opheodrys
constrictor
aestivus16.30.2912.50.191.306.90.154.60.421.50ViperidaeBoihrops
lateralis22.20.3911.90.171.865.90.124.00.071.47Bothrops
mummifer23.41.0113.60.781.727.50.254.80.501.56Bothrops
atrox22.10.9612.60.461.757.70.554.90.241.57Test
udinidaeGopherus
(3)19.10.6111.20.221.716.70.554.00.121.69Pseudemys
polyphemus
ornala18.60.0111.60.761.605.50.355.20.661.06
gases with the tissues. Thus, a small corpuscle offers the possibility of a greater
rate of exchange than a larger one. Likewise an elliptical body is more efficient than
a spherical one of the same volume. Based strictly on geometrical considerations,
the red cells of the bony fishes would be the most efficient and those of the tailed
amphibians the least efficient. Compared with warm-blooded animals the erythro
cytes of these poikilothermic animals would be much less efficient.
VERTEBRATE
@
@
87
In mammals the non-nucleated disc-shaped red cells have diameters from 5 @&
and 6 ;@(horse, cow, pig, mouse and rat) to about 7.5
(chimpanzee, woodchuck
and llama) (Wintrobe, 1961 ). In birds the nucleated elliptical erythrocytes have
size ranges from 10.7 by 6.1 to 15.8 by 10.2
(Hartman and Lessler, 1963).
The red cell count in poikilotherms is low. Counts of 70,000 to 390,000 per
nim.3 in eiasmobranchs
; 780,000
to 1,490,000
to 440,000
in
to those
of our
specimens.
Nuclei
In all fish erythrocytes the nuclei are shorter in proportion to their width than
are the cytosomes.
In the amphibian erythrocyte nuclei there is usually little dif
ference in these ratios. This is also true in one turtle and in Cayman.
In lizards,
six out of ten species possessed relatively rounder nuclei than cytosomes, while in
snakes
species
had
nuclei
longer
than
the cytosomes.
Nuclei
were
relatively longer than the cytosomes in all but six species of birds, being shorter
in four and doubtful in two (Hartman and Lessler, 1963) . Longer nuclei could
offer a somewhat greater surface for exchange with the cytoplasm.
This may be a
significant factor in nuclear-cytoplasmic
exchange.
Actually the role of the nucleus
in red cell function of the many species with nucleated erythrocytes has never been
determined.
SUMMARY
88
CLELAND,
J.
B.,
AND
T.
H.
JOHNSTON,
1912.
CITED
Relative
dimensions
of
red
blood
cells
of
verte
Bull. Johns
Hopkins
Observations
of ti-mered corpuscles.
Proc.
Zoo!.
F.
A.,
AND
M.
A.
LESSLER,
1963.
Erythrocyte
measurements
in
80: 467473.
WINTROBE, M. M., 1961.
Clinical
Hematology.
Philadelphia.
birds.
The
Auk,