P. CHETIA AND R. HANDIQUE
Abstract
Haemocytes of muga worms have been identified and their changes after exposure to diesel exhausts reported. The changes in differential hacmoeyte population (IM-ICs), cytology, morphology and morphormetric measurements have been provided in larval instars, prepupal and pupal stadia and aduli insects. Five types of hemocytes have been found where plasmatocytes (1)1,$) are the most abundant followed by prohaemocytes (PRs), granulocytes (GRs) and spherulocytes (SPs). The prohaemocytes (PRs) and oenocytoides (OEs) are numerically less abundant haemocytes. Three distinct sub-types have been observed, round or oval, spindle and vermiform- shaped plasmatocytes. Maximum DHCs (59.65%)have been found in the pupal stadia. Changes found in hacmocytes after exposure to diesel exhausts were analysed statistically (ANOVA) which reveal that OEs, degenerative cells, mitosis showing cells and fusiform cells are significantly different (P 0.05) from those of control in 5 minutes and 10 minutes pcposure groups. The groups exposed for 5 minutes show more significant differences. Other haemoeytes and DHCi have been found to maintain the same trend of abundance as in control.