Biochemical responses and physiological status in the crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus (Crustacea, Varunidae) from high anthropogenically-impacted estuary (Lenga, south-central Chile)

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 83; pp. 73 - 81
• Main Authors: Díaz-Jaramillo, M., Socowsky, R., Pardo, L.M., Monserrat, J.M., Barra, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Biological and medical sciences; Brachyura - drug effects; Brachyura - metabolism; Brachyura - physiology; Chile; crabs; Crustacea; discriminant analysis; environmental assessment; Environmental Monitoring; Estuaries; Estuary; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gills; Gills - drug effects; Gills - metabolism; glutathione transferase; GST; Hemigrapsus; Hemigrapsus crenulatus; Hepatopancreas; Hepatopancreas - drug effects; Hepatopancreas - metabolism; Invertebrates; lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Male; Mercury; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; PAHs; physiological state; Sea water ecosystems; Seasons; Sex Factors; stress response; summer; Synecology; TBARS; thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Chile; South America; America; Crustacea; Hepatopancreas; GST; PAHs; TBARS; Estuary; Mercury; Hemigrapsus crenulatus; Physiological condition; Hydrocarbon; Brachyura; Estuaries; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Heavy metal; Marine environment; Arthropoda; Decapoda; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2012.10.012

Estuarine environmental assessment by sub-individual responses is important in order to understand contaminant effects and to find suitable estuarine biomonitor species. Our study aimed to analyze oxidative stress responses, including glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, total antioxidant capacity (ACAP) and lipid peroxidation levels (TBARS) in estuarine crabs Hemigrapsus crenulatus from a high anthropogenically-impacted estuary (Lenga) compared to low and non-polluted estuaries (Tubul and Raqui), in a seasonal scale (winter–summer), tissue specific (hepatopancreas and gills) and sex related responses. Results showed that hepatopancreas in male crabs better reflected inter-estuary differences. Morpho-condition traits as Cephalothorax hepatopancreas index (CHI) could be used as an indicator of physiological status of estuarine crabs. Discriminant analysis also showed that GST and TBARS levels in summer are more suitable endpoints for establishing differences between polluted and non-polluted sites. These results suggest the importance of seasonality, target tissue, sex and physiological status of brachyuran crabs for estuarine biomonitoring assessment. ► Crab's hepatopancreas responses reflect inter-sites differences on summer. ► Male GST and TBARS levels are suitable endpoints for discriminate polluted sites. ► Cephalotorax hepatopancreas index emerges as an indicator of physiological status.