Blood Cell Morphology of the Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)

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Abstract

Clinical blood analysis, combined with cytomorphological examination is an important diagnostic tool for assessing the physiological state of animals. The cytomorphological features of blood cells have been described for terrestrial mammals, and well-illustrated veterinary atlases have been created, in which normal and pathological forms of animal blood cells are displayed. However, such information is virtually non-existent for marine mammals. In this article, we present the results of a study of the morphology of the blood cells of the beluga (also known as white) whale Delphinapterus leucas, obtained by supravital staining of blood smear preparations with brilliant cresyl blue, methylene blue, and utilizing the standard Romanowsky–Giemsa staining technique. We describe the main types of blood cells of marine mammals: erythrocytes, segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, band neutrophils, as well as rare basophils.

About the authors

P. V. Mischenko

Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch,
Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: xpolli@mail.ru
Russia, 690041, Vladivostok

V. A. Yachmen

Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch,
Russian Academy of Sciences; “Primorsky Aquarium”, Branch of NSCMB FEB RAS

Email: xpolli@mail.ru
Russia, 690041, Vladivostok; Russia, 690922, Vladivostok

E. N. Andrianova

“Primorsky Aquarium”, Branch of NSCMB FEB RAS

Email: xpolli@mail.ru
Russia, 690922, Vladivostok

P. G. Zakharenko

“Primorsky Aquarium”, Branch of NSCMB FEB RAS

Email: xpolli@mail.ru
Russia, 690922, Vladivostok

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