The role of urea in osmoregulation of brown banded Bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum) in the Persian Gulf

Authors

Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Oceanography, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Iran.

Abstract

To regulate of body fluids in the marine elasmobranchs, urea levels of blood are very high. However, this condensation is toxic to other vertebrates. In this investigation, 36 individuals of Brown banded Bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium punctatum) were sampled from Darvish Creek in the north of Persian Gulf. After fish capture, blood samples were taken from fish and then weighing, biometry and the numbering of sharks. The results showed that the mean of urea in blood of shark Brown banded Bamboo sharks is 196/7 ± 30/2 mM. Additionally, significant relationships were found between the electrolytes with urea (P<0/01). Therefore, with increase in blood electrolytes, urea levels also increased. Thus, urea is one of the most important body osmolytes in sharks and plays an important role in the regulation of blood electrolytes.

Keywords