The haematological parameters (RBC, Hb, PCV, WBC, TC, MCV, MCH, and MCHC) in farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) were measured using an automatic method. We then compared the outcomes using the traditional manual method. After blood collection (T0), all samples were immediately analyzed using both the manual and automatic methods. The samples were successively divided into five different aliquots and stored at +4°C to evaluate the effect of the storage time on haematological parameters, measured with the automatic method, at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after collection. Paired t-tests were applied between the values obtained at T0 with the manual and automatic methods and no statistical difference was observed. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that parameters measured with the automatic system were significantly affected by the storage time (p < 0.0001). These results provide an innovative automatic method for the determination of haematological parameters in sea bream and suggest that the haematological profile can be accurately assessed within 6 h from blood collection.

Marine crustaceans are influenced by numerous environmental factors. Environmental stress from pollutants seems to affect their metabolism, growth, moulting, survival, and immune defence. Recently, it has become clear that there is an impact of the global increase in sea noise levels due to shipping traffic on crustacean welfare. Considering the ecological and commercial importance of the European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787)) in most parts of the Mediterranean coastal area, in the present study we investigated whether shipping noise pollution contribute to changing the immune parameters of stress in the European spiny lobster. The animals were exposed to a mix of noises produced by different typologies of the boat played back in a tank, and the values of cellular and humeral parameters were evaluated. Total haemocyte count (THC), haemolymphatic protein concentration, phenoloxidase (PO) activity in cell-free haemolymph, and heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) expression in haemocyte lysate were considered potential biomarkers of stress. THC and PO activity decreased significantly, whereas total protein and Hsp27 expression increased significantly. Overall, the results demonstrate that the stressful conditions investigated in this study affect both cellular and biochemical parameters in the European spiny lobster.