Abstract: The objectives of this study is to investigate the relationship between carapace length of Astacus leptodactylus and oxidant (lipid peroxidation as malondialdehyde (MDA))/antioxidant (glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)) status according to tissues-specific and on this relationship was to determine the effect of sex during breeding period. However, the MDA and GSH-Px levels according to sex and tissue-species were determined. Crayfish was catched from Keban Dam Lake-Elazig (Turkey). A. leptodactylus males and females were divided into three different groups (38-46.9 mm CL (I), 47-55.9 mm CL (II) and 56-64.9 mm CL (III)). There was no clear relationship between crayfish CL and MDA / GSH-Px levels in the hepatopancreas and muscle tissues in each sex. But, higher levels of the MDA in the gonad tissues found in group I (♂:2.14±0.10, ♀:11.24±0.65) and group II (♂:1.96±0.06, ♀:11.92±0.80) compared with group III (♂:1.71±0.06, ♀:5.33±0.42) (p<0.05, p<0.001 respectively), while GSH-Px were lower. However, according to sex, the MDA level in gonad and muscle of female crayfish was higher than male crayfish (p<0.001 for either). Generally, according to tissue-species, the highest MDA and GSH-Px levels were found in the hepatopancreas and gonad compared with muscle (p<0.001).


Keywords: Astacus leptodactylus, carapace length, malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase.