Regulation of Blood Pressure in the Land CrabCardisoma guanhumi

Abstract

We examined the cardiovascular responses to acute and chronic changes in blood volume (BV) in the land crab Cardisoma guanhumi. Acute reduction in BV caused an increase in activity in the dorsoventral muscles (DVMs) and to a lesser extent in the epimeral attractor muscles (EAMs). Contraction of the DVMs and EAMs will decrease the volume of the dorsal sinus and the thorax as a whole, respectively. BV reduction also caused bradycardia with frequent periods of cardiac arrest. There was a small drop in hemolymph pressure. BV expansion had the reciprocal effect on DVM and EAM activity but had no effect on heart rate (fH). After the cardioregulatory nerves were cut, acute hypovolemia had no effect on fH but still caused a moderate increase in DVM activity. After dehydration-induced BV reduction, DVM activity increased, whereas hemolymph pressure, fH, and EAM activity were maintained close to control levels.