BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION, vol.17, no.3, pp.253-261, 2024 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
In this study, it is aimed to contribute to the systematic situation of Bufo bufo and B. verrucosissimus by
comparing some blood parameters for the first time. For that, fieldwork was done in Lake Borçka Karagöl, Artvin for B.
verrucosissimus and Lake Uzungöl, Trabzon for B. bufo in 2022. A total of 6 adult individuals (3 males, 3 females)
were captured per species. For each individual, 1 ml blood sample was acquired from spontaneously pulsating heart
ventricle and blood smears were prepared. Under a microscope, 40 randomly chosen erythrocytes from each smear were
measured to acquire 9 distinct blood cell parameters. Additionally, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were calculated
using Neubauer hemacytometer. It was found that female individuals had larger values for measurement of blood cell
parameters. Mean erythrocyte and leucocyte numbers were higher in the blood of B. bufo than B. verrucosissimus but
there was not a significant difference between species for erythrocyte and leukocyte counts. In females, erythrocytes
were larger and narrower in B. verrucosissimus than B. bufo species. Alike, nuclei were larger and narrower as observed
in B. verrucosissimus, similar to erythrocytes. However, B. bufo had larger and wider erythrocytes but larger and
narrower nuclei in males. Given the differences between sexes, these characters thought as not diagnostic. In addition,
PCA analysis showed overlapped position of species in morphospace and supported the weak discrimination power of
the characters. Our findings will contribute to the future studies as a reference source for basic blood parameters.