Hemocytes in Scorpion- Heterometrus Xanthopus

Many physiological functions in arthropoda are carried out in an orderly manner with the help of their body fluids. The number of hemocytes investigated differs according to the subtexon of Arthropoda. The techniques and procedure for preparations, fixation and staining techniques have impact on the reaction of hemocytes; as a consequence the characteristics on which the nomenclature of hemocytes was based became highly diverse. The identification key used in the present investigation was proposed by Gupta (1985). Many excellent reviews are available on the insect (Jones, 1970, 1977; Gupta, 1985). The study of hemocytes is preferentially focused with insects and other arthropods, but scorpions remained more or less neglected. Scorpion hemocytes were studied by Patil and Shah (2011); Shah and Patil (2011). The hemocytes are very important as far as immunology is considered. Hence the present investigation is focused on the scorpion Heterometrus xanthopus.