“…The biological gradient criterion was met by the finding of statistically significant multivariate, canonical, and multiple univariate correlations between indicators of exposure and effect. The experimental evidence criterion was met because, although experiments with stoneroller minnows have not been done, laboratory exposures using other species such as zebrafish (Danio rerio), goldfish (Carrasius auratus), mosquitofish, and amphibians such as Xenopus laevis, Bufo arenarum, and Hyla versicolor have indicated that perchlorate salts induce thyroid histopathological effects in fish and frogs (Miranda et al, 1992(Miranda et al, , 1995Goleman et al, 2001a, b;Patin˜o et al, 2003;Sparling et al, 2003;Crouch, 2003;Bradford et al, 2005). The plausibility criterion has been met because perchlorate is a well known thyroid disruptor in vertebrates (Stanbury and Wyngaarden, 1952;York et al, 2001;Goleman, et al, 2001a, b;Manzon et al, 2001;Greer et al, 2002).…”