title: Imposex and butyltin body burden in Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), in coastal waters within the Basque Country (northern Spain).
abstract: Levels of imposex (superimposition of male characters, upon females) and the presence of sterile females are assessed in the gastropod Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), at 22 locations in the Basque Country (northern Spain). At 18 of these localities, butyltin bioaccumulation (tributyltin (TBT); dibutyltin; monobutyltin) was analysed using isotope dilution and GC-ICP-MS. Higher imposex levels and TBT body burden were found in confined harbours, with a large vessel traffic or the presence of a fishing fleet or a shipyard. For the first time, four apparently sequential types of aborted capsules are described in this species. Another novelty is the interspecific comparison between imposex intensities in sympatrically living populations of N. nitidus and N. reticulatus. This showed that sensitivity to TBT pollution of both species is relatively similar (in terms of Relative Penis Length Index). Since N. nitidus has a restricted habitat distribution due to its low presence in wave-exposed habitats, its complementary use with other species is recommended for its use in TBT monitoring programmes.
authors.affiliation: AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, Pasaia, Spain. grodriguez@pas.azti.es
authors.forename: J Germán
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borja
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: J Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: García Alonso
authors.forename: Joxe Mikel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Garmendia
authors.forename: Iñigo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muxika
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sariego
authors.forename: Victoriano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valencia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001822:Body Burden; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D049851:Gastropoda; D008297:Male; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical