Phosphorus fractions of crayfish haemolymph, serum and haemocyanin.

Different amounts of haemolymph proteins participate in clot formation in Astacus leptodactylus and Orconectes limosus (20% and 10%, respectively), although in both species the content of proteins in haemolymph is similar. In both species the content of total phosphorus in the clot was similar (0.33-0.49%, w/w) but it was about 6 times lower in serum of O. limosus than in serum of A. leptodactylus (2.2 and 14.8 mg/100 ml, respectively). An even greater difference in phosphorus content was found in the protein precipitated from serum. In both species lipid phosphorus was predominant (77% of total haemolymph phosphorus in A. leptodactylus and 52% in O. limosus). Phospholipids were found mainly in serum. Only traces of phosphorus (0.005%) and small amounts of fatty acids were found in purified haemocyanin preparations.