title: Swimming speed alteration of Artemia sp. and Brachionus plicatilis as a sub-lethal behavioural end-point for ecotoxicological surveys.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the possibility to improve a new behavioural bioassay (Swimming Speed Alteration test-SSA test) using larvae of marine cyst-forming organisms: e.g. the brine shrimp Artemia sp. and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Swimming speed was investigated as a behavioural end-point for application in ecotoxicology studies. A first experiment to analyse the linear swimming speed of the two organisms was performed to verify the applicability of the video-camera tracking system, here referred to as Swimming Behavioural Recorder (SBR). A second experiment was performed, exposing organisms to different toxic compounds (zinc pyrithione, Macrotrol MT-200, and Eserine). Swimming speed alteration was analyzed together with mortality. The results of the first experiment indicate that SBR is a suitable tool to detect linear swimming speed of the two organisms, since the values have been obtained in accordance with other studies using the same organisms (3.05 mm s(-1) for Artemia sp. and 0.62 mm s(-1) for B. plicatilis). Toxicity test results clearly indicate that swimming speed of Artemia sp. and B. plicatilis is a valid behavioural end-point to detect stress at sub-lethal toxic substance concentrations. Indeed, alterations in swimming speed have been detected at toxic compound concentrations as low as less then 0.1-5% of their LC(50) values. In conclusion, the SSA test with B. plicatilis and Artemia sp. can be a good behavioural integrated output for application in marine ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring programs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Science, National Council of Researches, Genoa, Italy. francesca.garaventa@ismar.cnr.it
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garaventa
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Fino
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pittore
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faimali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000633:toxicity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000633:toxicity; D011725:Pyridines / Q000633:toxicity; D012403:Rotifera / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004202:Disinfectants; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010830:Physostigmine; C010423:pyrithione zinc