Nuclear DNA Content and Cytometry of Erythrocytes ofHuso HusoL.,Acipenser SturioL. andAcipenser NaccariiBonaparte

Abstract

The comparative DNA values, the nuclear size and the nucleocytoplasmic ratio were determined in three species of Italian sturgeons: Huso huso L. Acipenser sturio L. and Acipenser naccarii Bonaparte. The Acipenseridae have a very high nuclear DNA values: H. huso has 3,60 pgramms/nucleus, A. sturio 3,58 pgramms/nucleus. A. naccarii has 6,26 pgramms/nucleus is thus the highest within the range of DNA/nucleus values of the sturgeons, therefore this species can be regarded as a tetraploid. The erytrocytes of the three species of Acipenseridae show a strenght correlation between the size of the nucleus and the amount of DNA. The nucleocytoplasmic ratio increase with the nuclear DNA content even if less than the nuclear areas. The highest value is of A. naccarii with a less cytoplasmatic area.