Histological Structure of Reproductive Organ of Freshwater Female Crab, Barytelphusa Cunicularis (West-Wood)

Mercury concentrations were recorded in water and tissue of Barytelphusa cunicularis from Pimpalwadi site (Jaikwadi Dam) near Aurangabad. The level of heavy metals in the ovary and spermatheca of crabs was investigated using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean concentration of mercury in the crab was 0.9 ±0.001 µg/g. A histopathological alteration in ovary and spermatheca was also studied. Several histological changes were noted in the ovary tissue i. e. Distortion of yolk granules, vacuolization, slight necrosis in the oocytes in the ovary and vacuolization observe in lumen, granular substances, sperm mass and spermathecal fluid was evenly distributed in the crab was observed after exposed to sublethal concentration (24 th of LC 50 :1/5 th 0.208 ppm) of mercuric chloride.