The effect of ambient ammonia and molt stage on the physiological response of the blue shrimp Litopenaeus stylirostris was studied. Shrimps were submitted to 54.6 mg l(-1) ammonia-N (1.76 mg l(-1) NH3-N) for 24 h. Only shrimps in stages C, D-0, D-1 and D-2 were used for the analysis. Haemolymph was assayed for osmoregulatory capacity (OC), magnesium ion (Mg ion), total proteins, oxyhaemocyanin, lactate and glucose. Molt stage had an effect on OC, Mg ion and total proteins in control shrimps, and on OC, Mg ion and lactate in treated animals. Ammonia treatment decreased OC and lactate, and increase Mg ion concentration in haemolymph, for all molt stages. It decreased significantly total proteins and oxyhaemocyanin for stages D-1 and D-2, and increased glucose concentration for stages C and Do. There was a combined effect of treatment and molt stage only on total proteins concentration. The effects of an external factor (ammonia), an internal one (molt stage) and the combination of both, and the usefulness of using physiological parameters measured in this study as tools to detect stress, are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.