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Amphibian erythrocyte sizes

NOTE: These are size measurements for amphibian erythrocytes (red blood cells).  Erythrocytes in amphibians are elliptical, and as such two different diameters are provided: CLD ("cell long diameter") and CSD ("cell short diameter").  NLD ("nucleus long diameter") and NSD ("nucleus short diameter") are also provided where available.  In both cases, the diameters were measured from dry smears.  These were used to calculate dry cell area (CA) and dry nucleus area (NA) using the equation for elliptical area: CA = pi * (CLD/2) * (CSD/2).  MCV ("mean corpuscular volume") is wet volume and is usually measured with a Coulter counter.  DCV ("dry cell volume") and DNV ("dry nucleus volume") have occasionally been measured from dry smears, and are also provided.  These various measurements (e.g., CA and MCV) should not be compared to each other, so pick only one for any analyses you wish to do, or run them separately.  Diameters are in µm, areas are in µm2, and volumes are in µm3.
Species and taxonomic information  
CLD  
CSD  
CA      
Ref  
NLD   
NSD  
NA     
Ref  
MCV  
Ref  
WNV  
Ref 
DCV  
Ref 
DNV 
Ref 
CLASS AMPHIBIA
ORDER Anura
Family Bombinatoridae
Bombina bombina 19.1 13.4 201.01 1
Bombina orientalis 25.0 15.6 306.31 16 10.9 6.1 52.22 16 750 17 50 12
Bombina variegata 28.3 19.3 428.98 10



650 17 60 17 1102 15 171 15
Family Bufonidae
Bufo americanus 18.7 12.5 183.59 7
" " 16.0 9.7 121.89 3
Bufo bufo 24.4 12.7 243.38 1 9.1 4.8 34.31 1



819 15 82 15
" " 24.9 16.4 320.73 10
Bufo calamita 19.1 13.4 201.01 1
Bufo koynayensis











308 15 39 15
Bufo marinus 18.9 13.0 192.97 6 7.5 5.4 31.81 6 504 18
Bufo terrestris 19.0 10.3 153.70 18 7.7 3.9 23.59 18 755 18
Bufo viridis 19.1 13.4 201.01 1







709 15 64 15
Family Discoglossidae
Discoglossus pictus











557 15 75 15
Family Hylidae
Acris crepitans 25.5 16.5 330.46 7







420 15 38 15
Acris gryllus 17.8 10.9 152.38 3
Cyclorana alboguttata











250 15 25 15
Cyclorana australis 18.0 13.0 183.78 2
Hyla arborea 10.6 15.1 125.71 10







275 15 35 15
Hyla gratiosa 20.3 13.4 213.64 6 7.4 4.5 26.15 6
Hyla japonica 20.8 13.6 222.17 16 8.7 5.1 34.85 16
Hyla hallowellii 18.8 12.3 181.62 16 7.8 5.1 31.24 16
Hyla versicolor 20.7 12.0 195.09 7
Litoria caerulea 19.8 12.7 197.50 1
" " 19.5 14.0 214.41 2
Litoria citropa 21.8 14.8 253.40 2
Litoria rubella 17.0 10.8 144.20 2
Pseudacris crucifer 18.7 12.5 183.59 7
" " 19.4 11.2 170.65 3
Pseudacris nigrita 18.0 10.0 141.37 3
Family Hyperoliidae
Hyperolius concolor











324 15 75 15
Family Leptodactylidae
Ceratophrys calcarata











395 15 32 15
Ceratophrys ornata







450 17 53 17
Pleurodema bibroni











205 15 32 15
Family Megophryidae
Megophrys montana











330 15 35 15
Family Microhylidae
Microhyla ornata 21.9 13.1 225.32 16 9.0 5.4 38.17 16
Uperodon systoma











385 15 30 15
Family Myobatrachidae
Adelotus brevis











253 15 26 15
Crinia signifera 20.3 13.5 215.24 2
Limnodynastes dorsalis 18.8 12.5 184.57 2
Limnodynastes dumerilii











376 15 33 15
Limnodynastes fletcheri 16.3 10.8 138.26 2
Limnodynastes ornatus











192 15 14 15
Limnodynastes peronii











263 15 29 15
Limnodynastes terraereginae











329 15 27 15
Pseudophryne bibronii 21.0 14.0 230.91 2







488 15 53 15
Uperoleia marmorata 19.0 13.5 201.45 2
Family Pelobatidae
Pelobates fuscus











357 15 44 15
Pelobates syriacus











231 15 33 15
Family Pipidae
Pipa pipa











461 15 41 15
Silurana tropicalis







122 17 3 17
Xenopus laevis 16.0 9.5 119.38 12 6.4 3.6 18.10 12 250 17 10 17 295 15 29 15
" " 19.7 13.6 210.42 10
Family Ranidae
Limnonectes limnocharis 19.6 13.2 203.20 16 7.9 4.9 30.40 16
Pyxicephalus adspersus







120 17
Rana catesbeiana 25.0 12.4 243.47 18 9.9 5.7 44.32 18 714 18
" " 24.8 15.3 298.01 4



671 4
" " 26.1 13.5 276.74 16 10.0 5.6 43.98 16
" " 27.9 15.4 337.45 6 10.3 5.6 45.30 6
" " 25.7 14.2 286.62 3
Rana clamitans 22.5 15.0 265.07 7
" " 23.0 11.9 214.96 3
Rana esculenta 25.4 17.6 351.10 1



659 8

689 15 79 15
Rana graeca











343 15 58 15
Rana japonica 21.8 14.3 244.84 16 8.9 5.3 37.05 16
Rana nigromaculata 21.8 14.3 244.84 16 9.3 5.5 40.17 16
Rana palustris 20.4 12.7 203.48 3
Rana pipiens 21.5 12.2 206.01 18 8.8 5.2 35.94 18 654 18

544 15 48 15
" " 23.8 16.2 302.82 9



768 9
" " 20.5 13.2 212.53 3
Rana porosa 22.9 14.9 267.99 16 8.5 5.4 36.05 16
Rana rugosa 26.6 16.1 336.35 16 12.0 6.4 60.32 16
Rana sylvatica 25.5 16.5 330.46 7
Rana tagoi 24.5 14.2 273.24 16 10.0 5.7 44.77 16
Rana temporaria 22.9 13.9 250.00 1 8.2 4.0 25.76 1
" " 24.6 16.9 326.52 10
Rana tsushimensis 22.2 14.2 247.59 16 9.5 5.1 38.05 16
Family Rhacophoridae
Buergeria buergeri 19.8 13.0 202.16 16 7.5 5.1 30.04 16
Rhacophorus annamensis 20.0 12.7 199.49 16 7.9 5.0 31.02 16
Rhacophorus schlegelii 21.6 13.3 225.63 16 8.9 4.8 33.55 16
ORDER Gymnophiona
Family Caeciliidae
Boulengerula taitana 22.1 15.6 270.77 14



588 14
ORDER Urodela
Family Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma macrodactylum











1192 13 247 13
Ambystoma maculatum 38.2 22.2 666.05 7







559 13 103 13
" " 37.9 23.9 711.42 5
Ambystoma mexicanum 44.5 25.4 887.74 1 12.7 8.5 84.78 1
" " 32.8 20.0 515.22 12 13.5 8.8 93.31 12
" " 38.3 28.2 848.28 10
Ambystoma opacum











1611 13 212 13
Ambystoma talpoideum











538 13 90 13
Ambystoma texanum











1462 13 287 13
Ambystoma tigrinum 28.1 15.1 333.25 18 11.7 7.0 64.32 18 2698 18
" " 36.5 20.2 579.07 7
" " 34.5 19.0 514.83 5
Family Amphiumidae
Amphiuma means 54.2 32.5 1383.48 18 24.3 15.3 292.00 18 7391 18
" " 62.5 36.3 1781.87 4



13857 4

3520 13 640 13
" " 53.6 29.9 1258.71 12 20.6 12.9 208.71 12
" " 61.8 36.7 1781.33 3
Amphiuma tridactylum 70.0 41.3 2270.59 1 22.2 12.7 221.44 1
" " 65.3 36.6 1877.09 6 26.4 16.8 348.34 6
Family Cryptobranchidae
Andrias japonicus











2105 13 502 13
Andrias davidianus











1831 13 412 13
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis 39.7 25.4 791.98 18 21.4 10.0 168.08 18 3938 18
" " 40.5 21.0 667.98 4



7425 4
" " 45.1 25.4 899.71 1 19.1 11.1 166.51 1
" " 41.1 23.2 748.89 3
Family Dicamptodontidae
Dicamptodon ensatus 51.4 29.3 1182.83 14



4938 14
Family Hynobiidae
Hynobius dunni











437 13 111 13
Hynobius naevius











681 13 123 13
Hynobius nebulosus 33.0 17.2 445.79 16 13.6 7.8 83.32 16



380 13 49 13
Hynobius retardatus











413 13 83 13
Hynobius tsuensis 32.7 18.1 464.85 16 13.4 8.0 84.19 16
Onychodactylus japonicus 43.3 23.4 795.78 16 19.7 11.1 171.74 16
Family Plethodontidae
Aneides lugubris











1995 13 435 13
Batrachoseps attenuatus











1233 13 228 13
Desmognathus carolinensis 30.7 12.7 306.22 5
Desmognathus fuscus











765 13 122 13
Desmognathus marmoratus











417 13 77 13
Desmognathus monticola 29.4 14.9 344.05 5
Desmognathus quadramaculatus 35.5 21.0 585.51 7
" " 32.0 16.7 419.72 5
Ensatina eschscholtzi











1523 13 281 13
Eurycea bislineata 34.0 16.7 445.95 7







1138 13 141 13
Eurycea lucifuga 36.4 22.0 628.95 5







557 13 129 13
Eurycea longicauda











704 13 132 13
Gyrinophilus danielsi 37.4 21.0 616.85 5







1079 13 182 13
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus











1664 13 359 13
Plethodon cinereus 32.3 17.0 431.26 7



1476 17 144 17 1299 13 248 13
" " 30.7 16.3 393.02 5
Plethodon dorsalis 32.2 17.4 440.04 5
Plethodon dunni







3204 17 304 17
Plethodon glutinosus 33.4 20.2 529.89 5







1791 13 326 13
Pseudotriton ruber











1157 13 171 13
Family Proteidae
Necturus maculosus 54.2 26.3 1119.55 18 25.2 13.8 273.13 18 7325 18
" " 52.8 28.2 1169.43 4



10070 4

3348 13 946 13
" " 56.4 38.1 1687.69 6 30.2 17.4 412.71 6
" " 53.4 28.6 1199.49 3
" " 40.5 28.2 897.00 5
Proteus anguinus 63.5 34.9 1740.56 1 15.9 9.5 118.63 1



1472 13 327 13
Family Rhyacotritonidae
Rhyacotriton olympicus







3714 17 488 17
Family Salamandridae
Cynops pyrrhogaster 38.2 22.0 660.05 16 17.3 11.1 150.82 16
Notophthalmus viridescens 32.7 17.7 454.58 12 12.7 6.9 68.82 12 2204 17 168 17 1255 13 198 13
" " 29.6 17.8 413.81 3
Paramesotriton chinensis











1575 13 213 13
Salamandra atra











2649 13 407 13
Salamandra salamandra 41.6 26.9 878.89 10
Taricha granulosa 37.5 20.5 603.77 7



2090 17 272 17 1795 13 490 13
" " 40.4 25.9 821.81 14



3336 14
Taricha rivularis







2520 17 232 17 1828 13 119 13
Taricha torosa







2232 17 240 17 1518 13 251 13
Triturus alpestris 38.3 21.5 646.74 10



1350 17 190 17
Triturus carnifex
18.6
12 11.7 6.8 62.49 12 1500 17 210 17
Triturus cristatus 30.0 19.8 466.53 1 13.4 8.5 89.46 1 1615 17 176 17 731 13 91 13
Triturus marmoratus







1674 17 208 17
Triturus vulgaris 31.8 19.8 494.52 1 14.3 9.5 106.70 1 1663 17 176 17 449 13 77 13
Tylototriton verrucosus











524 13 97 13
Family Sirenidae
Pseudobranchus striatus











2021 13 364 13
Siren intermedia











1902 13 517 13
Siren lacertina 60.5 33.4 1587.05 1 22.2 12.7 221.44 1



2712 13 831 13


References: 1) Gulliver 1875, 2) Cleland and Johnston 1912, 3) Smith 1925, 4) Wintrobe 1933, 5) Vernberg 1955, 6) Hartman and Lessler 1964, 7) Szarski and Czopek 1966, 8) Gahlenbeck and Bartels 1968, 9) Rouf 1969, 10) Goniakowska 1970, 11) Wood 1971, 12) Monnickendam and Balls 1973, 13) Olmo and Morescalchi 1975, 14) Wood et al. 1975, 15) Olmo and Morescalchi 1978, 16) Kuramoto 1981, 17) Horner and Macgregor 1983, 18) Lewis 1996.

Click here for the reference list.

Last Modified By: T. Ryan Gregory
Last Modified On: Wednesday, October 15, 2003