Blood rheology of Antarctic fishes: viscosity adaptations at very low temperatures

Viscosity of whole blood and plasma from Antarctic fishes were compared over a temperature range of −1.5 to 5°C; human samples and water provided reference values. Blood viscosity of nototheniids was greater than that of the haemoglobinless icefish, reflecting differences in packed cell volume, being 5.27 v. 3.27 cP at 0°C for Notothenia coriiceps and Chaenocephalus aceratus, respectively. The reduction in MCHC, rather than haematocrit, in nototheniids suggests that selection pressure has not acted at the level of oxygen transport. However, icefish plasma viscosity was similar to human, but greater than that of Notothenia spp., suggesting that viscometric influences on cardiac afterload may be adaptive for the latter. Indeed, handling stress induced a significant increase in viscosity of both whole blood and plasma which may impair cardiovascular performance. Such a response was not observed in icefish, and in view of the large blood vessels it is unlikely that viscosity plays any significant role in limiting activity of this species.