CARBOHYDRATES IN THE BLOOD OF THE LOBSTER, HOMARUS AMERICANUS

Abstract

Measurements of blood sugar were made using potassium ferricyanide reduction and glucose oxidase. Both methods show a significant difference between the two sexes, in spite of a large variance. Non-glucose reducing sugars vary with glucose equally in both sexes and account for 40–50% of the total reducing sugar. Analysis by thin-layer chromatography shows small amounts of galactose and fructose; three other sugars are present, two of which may be disaccharides. Hyperglycemia after handling for periods of up to 1 hour was not observed.