Inland Water Biology. Vol. 16, No. 6, Pages 1173-1177, 2023

I. I. Gordeev^a^, ^b, E. A. Boltnev^a, T. A. Suvorova^c^, *, D. V. Mikryakov^c, and L. V. Balabanova^c

^aRussian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Moscow, Russia

^cPapanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Nekouzskii raion, Yaroslavl oblast, Russia

Abstract—The cellular composition of the peripheral blood of the Baikal seal Phoca sibirica (Gmelin, 1788) has been studied. Various cells have been found in the blood smears: large and small lymphocytes; monocytes; and neutro-, eosino-, and basophils. Analysis has shown a high percentage of band neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes in the leukogram of young seal individuals when compared to adult individuals. Similar forms of leukocytes have been recorded during the study of some marine representatives of true seals (Phocidae). However, the proportion of band neutrophils is significantly lower in the leukograms of adult gray, harp, and ringed seals. The differences may be determined by physiological features and living conditions.

Peripheral Blood Cell Composition of Baikal Seal Phoca sibirica