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Journal of Experimental Biology 36,157-176 (1959)
Published by Company of Biologists 1959

Salt and Water Balance in the East African Fresh-Water Crab, Potamon Niloticus (M. Edw.)

J. SHAW ¹

¹ Department of Zoology, University of Durham, King's College, Newcastle upon Tyne

1. The mechanisms of salt and water balance in the East African fresh-water crab, Potamon niloticus, have been investigated.

2. The freezing-point depression of the blood is equivalent to that of a 271 mM./l. NaCl solution.

3. The animals cannot survive in solutions more concentrated than 75% sea water. Above the normal blood concentration, the blood osmotic pressure follows that of the medium.

4. The urine is iso-osmotic with the blood and is produced at a very slow rate. The potassium content is only half that of the blood.

5. The animal loses sodium at a rate of 8 µM./10 g./hr. mainly through the body surface. Potassium loss occurs at one-sixteenth of this rate.

6. Sodium balance can be maintained at a minimum external concentration of 0.05 mM./l. Potassium requires a concentration of 0.07 mM./l.

7. Active absorption of both sodium and potassium occurs. The rate of uptake of sodium depends on the extent of previous sodium loss. The rate of sodium uptake may be affected by such environmental factors as the salt content of the water, temperature and oxygen tension.

8. The normal oxygen consumption rate is 0.72 mg./10 g./hr. A minimum of 2.3% is used in doing osmotic work to maintain salt balance.

9. The salt and water balance in Potamon is discussed in relation to the adaptation of the Crustacea to fresh water. The importance of permeability changes is stressed.

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