title: Ephyra jellyfish as a new model for ecotoxicological bioassays.
abstract: The aim of this study was a preliminary investigation on the possibility of using the ephyra of Scyphozoan jellyfish Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus, 1758), the common moon jellyfish, as an innovative model organism in marine ecotoxicology. A series of sequential experiments have been carried out in laboratory in order to investigate the influence of different culturing and methodological parameters (temperature, photoperiod, ephyrae density and age) on behavioural end-points (% of Frequency of Pulsations) and standardize a testing protocol. After that, the organisms have been exposed to two well known reference toxic compounds (Cadmium Nitrate and SDS) in order to analyse the acute and behavioural responses during static exposure. Results of this work indicate that the proposed behavioural end-point, frequency of pulsations (Fp), is an easily measurable one and can be used coupled with an acute one (immobilization) and that ephyrae of jellyfish are very promising model organisms for ecotoxicological investigation.
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faimali
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garaventa
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy. Electronic address: veronica.piazza@ge.ismar.cnr.it.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy; Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Genoa, Italy; Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.affiliation: Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beltrandi
authors.affiliation: Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bongiovanni
authors.affiliation: Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavorano
authors.affiliation: Acquario di Genova - Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009566:Nitrates / Q000633:toxicity*; D017440:Photoperiod; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity*; D013550:Swimming; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; C035196:cadmium nitrate
keywords: Aurelia aurita; Cadmium nitrate; Ecotoxicology; Jellyfish; Larval bioassay; SDS; Sublethal effects; Swimming speed