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Andrade-Villagrán PV, Navarro JM, Villanueva PA, Polanco Y, Urzúa Á. Ingestion of paralytic shellfish toxins in a carnivorous gastropod (Chorus giganteus): effects on their elemental composition and reproductive traits. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 195:106366. [PMID: 38277814 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
The producer of paralytic shellfish toxin (PST), Alexandrium catenella, is one of the main generators of HABs in the coasts of Chile. Its presence produces ecological and economic damage, directly affecting filter-feeding organisms, and indirectly to other organism through the trophic chain. The objective of this research was to identify the effect of a toxic diet on the energetic and reproductive parameters of the carnivorous snail Chorus giganteus. Two groups of snails were used, one fed with toxic prey (bivalves fed with A. catenella), and the other fed with non-toxic prey. Both treatments were maintained under these conditions for 63 days, then, elemental composition (C, N) and energy content were estimated, and fecundity parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that snails fed with toxic prey had a lower percentage of C and C/N ratio. The energy content was significantly lower in intoxicated snails. Regarding fecundity parameters, a higher number of egg-masses were produced by toxic snails, however, only 62% of these showed embryonic development, with 57% hatching success. A negative relationship was identified between the mean PST concentration, quantified in snails, and the number of egg-masses produced per aquarium. In the aquarium where the snails had highest average PST concentration (1200 ± 820 μg STX.2HCL eq. Kg-1) there was no oviposition, while egg-masses were only produced by snails in aquaria where the average concentration did not exceed 360 ± 160 μg STX.2HCL eq. Kg-1. It is likely that, with low levels of accumulated PST, C. giganteus activates its oviposition process as a response to toxin-induced stress, generating a higher energy expenditure supported by a redirection of its reserves. However, when the intoxication presents higher levels, the reproductive process could be inhibited, similar to what has been identified in other molluscs.
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Affiliation(s)
- P V Andrade-Villagrán
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, 4090541, Concepción, Chile.
| | - J M Navarro
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile; Centro de Investigación Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile
| | - P A Villanueva
- Centro de Investigación Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile; Escuela de Graduados, Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de la Acuicultura, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5480000, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Y Polanco
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias con mención en Manejo de Recursos Acuáticos Renovables, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, 4070386, Concepción, Chile
| | - Á Urzúa
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, 4090541, Concepción, Chile; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, 4090541, Concepción, Chile
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