Blood cell morphology of Turkish gekkonid lizards

Size parameters of peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes, leucocytes, thrombocytes) obtained from blood smears stained with Wright's stain are given for six species of Turkish gekkonid lizards: Asaccus barani TORKI, AHMADZADEH, ILGAZ, AVCI & KUMLUTAS, 2011, Mediodactylus heterocercus (13LANFoRD, 1874), Mediodactylus kotschyi (STEINDACHNER, 1870), Cyrtopodion scabrum (HEYDEN, 1827), Hemidactylus turcicus (LINNAEUS, 1758) and Stenodactylus grandiceps HAAS, 1952. The longest erythrocytes were found in S. grandiceps, the widest and largest in A. barani, the shortest in C. scabrum, the narrowest in M. kotschyi and the smallest in C. scabrum. The longest and biggest erythrocyte nuclei were measured in M. heterocercus, the shortest, narrowest and smallest in M kotschyi and the largest in A. barani. Regarding their length-to-width ratio, the most oblong erythrocytes were found in S. grandiceps, the most roundish in M. kotschyi. The value of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio was highest in C. scabrum and M heterocercus, and lowest in S. grandiceps. The nucleocytoplasmic ratio of the gekkonid erythrocytes was similar as in lacertids. Among the species studied, erythrocyte and nucleus morphology showed considerable variation, whereas, leukocyte morphology did not. Lymphocytes outnumbered the other leucocytes in all species. The nuclei of eosinophils and basophils were not distinct because of intense granulation of the cytoplasm. The thrombocytes were the shape of a flattened ellipsoid in all species.