PROJECT REPORT PR-2009-09
Necropsy and Liver Histopathology for Fish Sampled Adjacent to the Barbers Point Ocean Outfall and the Maunalua Bay Reference Station, O’ahu, Hawai’i, January 2009
Thierry M. Work
April 2009, vii + 12 pp.
ABSTRACT
Fish-liver histopathology is an important biological tool used to assess fish for exposure to pollution because fish collected from polluted environments may have neoplasms in the liver.
On 29 January 2009 gross necropsy and fish-liver histopathology was done on 10 specimens each of Lutjanus kasmira, Myripristis berndti, and Selar crumenophthalmus collected live near the terminus of the Barbers Point ocean outfall. An additional cohort of 10 specimens each of Lutjanus kasmira, Myripristis berndti, and Selar crumenophthalmus were collected live at Maunalua Bay reference station FR2 on 10 February 2008.
Lutjanus kasmira from the Barbers Point ocean outfall had more atrophy, melanized macrophage centers, and vacuolation but less emphysema. Bile duct hyperplasia was seen in one fish from the outfall whereas hemorrhage was seen only in fish from the reference station. Lymphoid infiltrates and necrosis were seen with equal frequency from both sites.
Compared to fish caught at the reference station, Myripristis berndti from the Barbers Point ocean outfall had more lymphoid infiltrates but less vacuolation. One fish from the outfall had regenerative nodular hyperplasia whereas chronic inflammation and necrosis were seen only in fish from the reference station. Hemorrhage and melanized macrophage centers were seen with equal frequency from both sites.
Compared to Selar crumenophthalmus from the reference station, those from the Barbers Point ocean outfall had more hemorrhage, melanized macrophage centers, and necrosis but those from the reference station had more vacuolation. Atrophy and protozoa were seen only in fish from the reference station.
Neoplastic changes were not seen in any fish.