Aortic and venous blood pressures in the intact pinto abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkas A

Abstract

1. 1. At 12°C, strain gauge manometers were used to measure resting blood pressures in the ventricle, aorta, and left efferent ctenidial vein of unrestrained specimens of the pinto abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana. 2. 2. All pressures were pulsatile with an aortic systolic pressure of 0.53 kPa and a mean efferent ctenidial pressure of 0.13 kPa. 3. 3. Peak aortic pressure occurred slightly after that of the ventricular pressure and was 180° out of phase with that of the efferent ctenidial vein. 4. 4. The resting heart rate was 18 bpm. 5. 5. The pressure wave forms were similar to those recorded in the larger Haliotis corrugata from a warmer environment; however, the magnitudes of the pressures were dissimilar to those of H. corrugata, suggesting that either body size or temperature or both may cause differences in heart rate and blood pressure.