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Journal of Experimental Biology 55,357-369 (1971)
Published by Company of Biologists 1971

Regulation of Water and Some Ions in Gammarids (Amphipoda) : III. Three Euryhaline Species

D. W. SUTCLIFFE ¹

¹ Freshwater Biological Association, The Ferry House, Far Sawrey, Ambleside, Westmorland

1. A comparison was made of the body water contents and the concentrations of sodium, potassium and chloride in the blood and body water of Gammarus zaddachi, G. locusta and Marinogammarus finmarchicus.

2. G. zaddachi had a slightly higher body water content than G. locusta and M. finmarchicus.

3. In all three species the blood chloride concentration was lower than the external chloride concentration in 80-113 % sea water, but the blood sodium concentration was equal to or slightly above the sodium concentration in the external medium.

4. The total body sodium concentration was always greater than the total body chloride concentration. In M.finmarchicus the ratio of body sodium/chloride increased from 1.2 to 1.3 over the salinity range 100-20% sea water. In G. zaddachi the ratio of body sodium/chloride increased from 1.08 at 100% sea water to 1.87 in 0.25 mM/l NaCl.

5. The total body potassium concentration remained constant. The potassium loss rate and the balance concentration were relatively high in G. zaddachi.

6. The porportion of body water in the blood space was calculated from the assumption that a Donnan equilibrium exists between chloride and potassium ions in the extracellular blood space and the intracellular space. In G. zaddachi the blood space was equivalent to 60% body H₂O at 100% sea water, and equivalent to 50% body H₂O at 40% sea water down to 0.5 mM/l NaCl. In M.finmarchicus the blood space was equivalent to 38-44% body H₂O at salinities of 20-100% sea water.

7. The mean intracellular concentrations of sodium, potassium and chloride were also calculated. It was concluded that for each ion its intracellular concentration is much the same in the four euryhaline gammarids. The intracellular chloride concentration is roughly proportional to the blood chloride concentration. The intracellular sodium concentration is regulated in the face of large changes in the blood sodium concentration.