Electrophoresis Patterns of Decapod Sera — Hughes and Winkler 
523 
sus, Uca, and Pachygrapsus from the mud flats 
would seem to indicate a strong environmental 
or nutritional influence on the electrophoretic 
pattern of the blood proteins synthesized, super- 
imposed on the species-controlled genetic fac- 
tor. This hypothesis is strengthened by the 
obvious difference, within the species P. 
crassipes, between specimens living in the two 
different environments mentioned (Fig. 1, 
A-E and 1, F-H). 
Work in progress toward experimental 
elucidation of this blood pattern difference in 
Pachygrapsus , using the more sensitive agar 
gel electrophoresis, seems to indicate that the 
nutritional factor may be the predominant in- 
fluence in the environment. The results of these 
studies will be reported upon completion. 
REFERENCE 
Woods, K. R., Elizabeth C. Paulsen, Ralph 
L. Engle, Sr., and James H. Pert, 1958. 
Starch gel electrophoresis of some inverte- 
brate sera. Science 127 (3297) :519-520. 
