Laboratory spawning of topsmelt, Atherinops affinis , with notes on culture and growth of larvae

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of salinity and organism age on the chronic toxicity of waterborne lead (Pb) to Atherinops affinis and to compare the relative Pb sensitivity of A. affinis with other marine species. Chronic Pb exposure experiments were conducted in a water flow-through testing system. Survival, standard length, dry weight, and tissue Pb concentration were measured and lethal concentrations (LCs), effect concentrations (ECs), and bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were calculated. In general, increasing salinity and organism age decreased Pb toxicity. The LC50s for larval fish at 14 and 28 ppt salinity were 15.1 and 79.8 μg/L dissolved Pb, respectively; whereas, the LC50 for juvenile fish was 167.6 μg/L dissolved Pb at 28 ppt salinity. Using standard length data, the EC10 values for larval fish were 16.4 and 82.4 μg/L dissolved Pb at 14 and 28 ppt salinity, respectively. The dry weight EC25s for low and high salinity were 15.6 and 61.84 μg/L dissolved Pb, respectively. The BCFs were higher with the lower salinity study (1703) in comparison to the higher salinity study (654). Results of Pb speciation calculation showed higher fraction of Pb in water with lower salinity, explaining the higher observed toxicity of Pb in lower salinity water than higher salinity water. Atherinops affinis is more sensitive to Pb than several other marine species. Evidence of abnormal swimming and skeletal deformities were observed in Pb exposure treatments. Results of the present study are useful for marine biotic ligand modeling and support ecological risk assessment and deriving Pb environmental quality criteria for marine environments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2705-2713. © 2018 SETAC.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic effects of lead exposure on topsmelt fish (Atherinops affinis): Influence of salinity, organism age, and relative sensitivity to other marine species

Reynolds

Smith

Chowdhury³

et al. 2018

Comparative acute sensitivity of larval topsmelt, Atherinops affinis, and inland silverside, Menidia beryllina, to 11 chemicals

Hemmer

Middaugh

Comparetta

1992

Larval topsmelt (Atherinops affinis) and inland silversides (Menidia beryllina) were exposed in 96‐h static acute toxicity tests to 11 chemicals to determine the relative sensitivity of the two atherinid species. High to low LC50 ratios for endosulfan, methoxychlor, carbophenothion, chlorpyrifos, terbufos, fenvalerate, permethrin, 4‐nitrophenol, and sodium lauryl sulfate were within a factor of <2 for the two species. Atherinops affinis was more sensitive to both azinphos‐methyl and 2,4‐dinitrophenol by factors of 6.7 and 4.4, respectively. Comparisons of the relative sensitivity of Atherinops affinis with three freshwater fish species (Lepomis macrochirus, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Pimephales promelas) and one estuarine fish species (Cyprinodon variegatus) are presented. Sensitivities were similar between Atherinops affinis and the two most sensitive freshwater species, Lepomis macrochirus and Oncorhynchus mykiss. Atherinops affinis is easily transported, cultured, and maintained in the laboratory and readily adaptable for use in toxicological studies.

Effects of fenvalerate on the early life stages of topsmelt (Atherinops Affinis)

Goodman

Hemmer

Middaugh

et al. 1992

Flow‐through acute and early‐life‐stage (ELS) toxicity tests were conducted with topsmelt (Atherinops affinis), a Pacific coast saltwater fish, and fenvalerate, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. The 96‐h LC50 for juvenile fish was 0.66 μg/L. In the 30‐d ELS test with laboratory‐spawned embryos, average measured fenvalerate concentrations were nondetectable (>0.075 μg/L) in two control treatments, 0.14, 0.34, 0.82, 1.5, and 3.2 μg/L. Survival of embryos to hatching ranged from 94 to 100%, with no statistically significant differences among treatments. No fry survived exposure to fenvalerate concentrations ≥0.82 μg/L; overall survival in lower concentrations and control treatments ranged from 86 to 97%. There were no consistent concentration‐dependent differences in weight between fish in the carrier‐control treatment and fish exposed to fenvalerate. Mean wet weights of surviving fish ranged from 16.9 mg in 0.34 μg/L to 20.3 mg in 0.14 μg/L. The average bioconcentration factor for fish exposed to 0.14 and 0.34 μg fenvalerate per liter was 315.