Effect of temperature on metabolism and hemolymph pH in the crab Stoliczia abbotti

1. 1.|Oxygen consumption, hemolymph pH and total CO₂ were measured in the crab Stoliczia abbotti following short-term acclimation to temperatures between 10 and 35°C. 2. 2.|Crabs maintained at 25°C had an oxygen consumption of 797.7 μl O₂·h^-1. Q₁₀s between 20 and 35°C varied between 1.22 and 2.4. The Q₁₀ between 15 and 20°C showed a significant increase to 6.03. 3. 3.|Hemolymph pH decreased from 7.695 to 7.243 between 17 and 35°C (-0.025 ΔpH/Δ°C). Between 10 and 17°C hemolymph pH did not change significant (-0.004 ΔpH/Δ°C). Hemolymph C_CO2 did not change significantly with temperature. 4. 4.|The correlation between the temperature (15-20°C) at which crabs no longer maintain a constant relative alkalinity and experience a greater than normal reduction in oxygen consumption is consistent with predictions of the constant charge state hypothesis.