African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (6), pp. 527-530, June 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 � 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Haematological characteristics of the African snakehead, Parachanna obscura

O. Kori-Siakpere*, J. E. G. Ake and E. Idoge

Department of Zoology, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel:  2348033613853.

Accepted 4 March, 2005

The haematological characteristics of the African snakehead Parachanna obscura includes mean blood haemoglobin concentration of 5.70g/dl, mean haematocrit of 19.20%, mean red blood cell count of 1.67 x 10 ¹²/L, mean total white blood cell count of 19.07 x 10³ mm^-3, mean erythrocytic haemoglobin concentration of 29.08%, mean erythrocytic haemoglobin of 39.86 ρg, mean erythrocytic volume of 132.84 �³, mean total plasma protein of 4.45 g/dl and mean plasma glucose of 67.42 mg/dl. Correlations were found with certain blood parameters as function of the length, weight and condition factor.

Key words: African snakehead, Parachanna obscura; haematology, protein,  glucose, Nigeria.