Effects of Temperature and Heavy Metals on Extractable Lipofuscin in the Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus

The potential role of environmental factors on extractable lipofuscin accumulation rate in the blue crab was studied by examining the effect of temperature on laboratory reared blue crabs and the effect of trace metals from samples collected at impacted sites (Baltimore Harbor) and a relatively pristine site (outdoor ponds at Horn Point Laboratory, Cambridge, MD, USA). Lipofuscin levels did not significantly related with sampling sites or heavy metal concentrations in the crab tissue. Heavy metal body burden was highly variable among sampling sites and tissue types but significantly higher for both impacted areas (Curtis Creek and Inner Harbor) in comparison to the reference site. Among tissue types, gills showed the highest metal concentrations with the exception of Hg, which was highest in muscle tissue. For two groups of crabs that were held at either ambient (4 to 1$0^{\circ}C$) or heated seawater (19$^{\circ}C$) for two months, normalized-lipofuscin levels were significantly different (P-0.001). Results suggest that temperature may affect lipofuscin accumulation (=0.25ng-lipofuscin/mg-protein/temperature-degree day). Therefore, temperature should be considered for accurate age calibration of crab populations using lipofuscin.