The total protein and ammonia contents in the hemolymph of Bradybaena similaris (Fèrussac, 1821) during the starvation were determined from August, 1996 to March, 1998. The results revealed a significant variation in the total protein content throughout the period of starvation analized, there being a negative relation between the total protein content and the time of starvation. But the same result was not observed in the ammonia content. After 30 days of starvation there was a reduction of 2,8% of the content of ammonia in the hemolymph. A negative relation between the ammonia content and the time of starvation was observed, but this relation was not significative. It is probable that the degradation of the proteins don't lead to an increase of the ammonia in the hemolymph of the snail. It indicates that the increase on the nitrogenous products of degradation, caused by the degradation of the proteins, is detoxified as urea or uric acid.
Bradybaena similaris; ammonium; nitrogenous products; starvation; total proteins