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Comparative Histopathology of Gladiator Swimming Crab ( Callinectes pallidus ) from two Coastal Areas in Lagos, Nigeria
MEKULEYI, GO & FAKOYA, KA
Abstract
Callinectes pallidus is an economically important species of crab which inhabits
both inshore and estuaries often susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources. The
present study examined histopathology of the tissues of Callinectes pallidus from two coastal
areas in Lagos, Nigeria, as a possible measure of degree of susceptibility to environmental
stress.Tissues (hepatopancreas, gill, ovary, intestine and flesh) of samples of 30 crabs from each
coastal site were processed for histological examination using standard method. The
histopathological results in this study showed no structural alteration in gills, intestine and flesh
in crabs from both sites, but there was a great structural degeneration and lesion in the
hepatopancreas and ovaries of C. pallidus from Agbara (site 2). The environmental stressors
identified in Agbara based on documented literatures includes Brewery effluents- that contains
high carbohydrate, nitrogen and washing reagents; high concentration of heavy metals such as
Cu, Zn and Fe and pharmaceutical effluents. The present study thereby revealed that
hepatopancreas and ovaries of C.pallidus from Agbara (site 2) are more susceptible to these
environmental stressors. Thus, it could be concluded that C.pallidus from site 2 are more
susceptible to environmental stress than those from site 1.The present study also provide a
fundamental information on the well being of C.pallidus from the two sites. Therefore, efforts
should be intensified to avert future deleterious effect of the environmental stressors on the
studied species in Agbara water body.
Keywords
Susceptibility; hepatopancreas; ovary; stress; alteration and crab
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