Ujwala Shah

Scorpion Hemocytes: a Comparative Study Ujwala Shah

Haemocytes are the colourless blood cells present in the haemolymph of different groups of animals. Extensive studies are carried out on the haemocytes of arthropods particularly insects. However , scorpions, the living fossil and most fascinating arthropod group, remained neglected from the point of view of haemocyte study. To fulfill the lacuna of scorpion haemocytes record , present investigation was undertaken. Five different species of scorpions from the state of Maharashtra were used . Light and phase contrast microscopy and TEM techniques were used. Light and phase contrast miscroscopic studies revealed seven types of haemocys: Prohemocytes (PRs), Plasmocytes (PLs), Coagulocytes (COs), Oenocytes (OEs), Spherulocytes (SP), Granulocytes (GRs) and Adipohemocytes (ADs) . But TEM study on haemocytes in Heterometrus xanthopus indicated only six types of haemocytes where COs were absent. This will be useful to students, faculty and researchers.