Comparative clinicopathological responses of striped bass and palmetto bass to acute stress

Selected clinicopathological features were compared between resting striped bass Morone saxatilis and palmetto bass (striped bass female x white bass M. chrysops male) and fish subjected to an acute (2-h-long) confinement str ess. The taxa differed significantly in resting plasma lysozyme activities and leukocyte responses to mitogen stimulation. Confined fish of both taxa showed similar elevations in plasma osmolality, potassium. anion gap, creat inine, and glucose, suggesting a shock response. However, striped bass disp layed slightly more severe perturbations, including elevated albumin and to tal protein, that indicated hemoconcentration. At least some of the interta xon differences may have been associated with the greater ability of palmet to bass to adapt to culture conditions.