Abstract
The influence of moulting and ovarian maturation on cadmium accumulation in the tissues of female shore crabs Carcinus maenas exposed to 1 mg Cd l−1 in the water was investigated. Cadmium accumulation in all tissues examined was markedly increased in crabs in the postmoult stages (A and B) compared to crabs in all other moult stages. During the moult cycle, average cadmium accumulation in the midgut gland ranged from 29 μg Cd g−1 dw at premoult stage (D2) to 589 μg Cd g−1 dw at postmoult stage (A). Average cadmium concentrations in the haemolymph ranged from 0.56 μg Cd ml−1 at intermoult stage (C4) to 4.6 μg Cd ml−1 at postmoult stage (A), while the gills accumulated from 103 μg Cd g−1 dw in intermoult stage (C3) to 352 μg Cd g−1 dw in postmoult stage (A). Cadmium concentration in gills and haemolymph was also significantly higher in crabs in late premoult stage (D3) compared to C4-crabs, while midgut gland cadmium concentration remained elevated in C1- and C3- intermoult stages relative to C4. During ovarian maturation the cadmium accumulation in midgut gland, gills, ovaries and haemolymph decreased. Average cadmium concentration in the midgut gland decreased from 63 μg g−1 dw in ovarian Stage I to 19 μg g−1 dw in ovarian Stage VI. The same pattern was observed for gills, haemolymph and ovaries. The present study demonstrates that cadmium accumulation in the female shore crab strongly depends on the physiological status of the animal. A possible association between physiological calcium requirements and cadmium accumulation during moulting is discussed.
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Received: 20 January 2000 / Accepted: 20 July 2000
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Bondgaard, M., Nørum, U. & Bjerregaard, P. Cadmium accumulation in the female shore crab Carcinus maenas during the moult cycle and ovarian maturation. Marine Biology 137, 995–1004 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270000411
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270000411