Biological responses in gills and hepatopancreas of Ucides cordatus (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) as indicative of environmental contamination in mangrove areas in Maranhão State, Brazil

• Published in: Latin american journal of aquatic research Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 226 - 236
• Main Authors: Batista de Jesus, Wanda, De Oliveira, Suelen Rosana Sampaio, Mota Andrade, Ticianne De Sousa de Oliveira, Sousa, Jucimary Braga Machado, Pinheiro-Sousa, Débora Batista, Santos, Débora Martins Silva, Cardoso, William Da Silva, Carvalho-Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Valparaiso Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar 01.05.2020; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. Facultad de Recursos Naturales. Escuela de Ciencias del Mar
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Animal cuticle; Aquatic crustaceans; Biomarkers; Biometrics; Cells; Contamination; Crabs; Crustaceans; Decapoda; Ecosystems; Effluents; Environmental economics; FISHERIES; Gills; Hepatopancreas; Laboratories; Lymphocytes B; Mangroves; MARINE & FRESHWATER BIOLOGY; Marine crustaceans; Morphology; Necrosis; Nuclei (cytology); OCEANOGRAPHY; Organisms; Pollutants; Rupture; Rupturing; Scientific imaging; Sediments; Ucides cordatus; Chile; Brazil; port area; biomonitoring; biomarkers; alterations; uçá crab; xenobiotic; Ucides cordatus
• ISSN: 0718-560X; 0718-560X
• DOI: 10.3856/vol48-issue2-fulltext-2374

This study aimed to identify alterations in gills and hepatopancreas of the crab Ucides cordatus as indicative of environmental contamination in mangrove areas subject to chemical effluents from port activities in Maranhão, Brazil. Samples of gills and hepatopancreas were removed from each animal and fixed in Davidson's solution until the procedure of histological technique. The biometric data (means and standard deviations) of the specimens collected in the study areas indicated that the crabs in the reference area are significantly (P < 0.05) higher and heavier than the crabs collected in the potentially impacted area (port area). Gill alterations (rupture of pilaster cells, dilation of the marginal channel, cuticle rupture and necrosis) and hepatopancreas alterations (abnormal lumen, vacuolized B cells, pycnotic nuclei and necrosis) were significantly (gbn < 0.05) more frequent in crabs collected in the port area than crabs collected in the reference area. These data indicate that the health of crabs is compromised due to the pollutants present in the mangroves that surround the port area in São Marcos’ Bay.