Environmentally relevant exposure of 17α-ethinylestradiol impairs spawning and reproductive behavior in the brackish medaka Oryzias melastigma.
We assessed the effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on spawning and reproductive behavior of the brackish medaka Oryzias melastigma at environmental concentrations. Breeding pairs were exposed to EE2 at either lower concentrations (0, 1, and 10 ng/L) or higher concentrations (0, 50, and 100 ng/L) for 14 days. Swimming performance and reproductive behavior (following, dancing, and copulation) of the males were analyzed at the end of exposure. Additionally, gonad histology was conducted in the males in the higher EE2 experiment. We found that spawning was significantly inhibited in the 50-100 ng/L EE2 groups. Swimming performance was not affected in all groups. Dancing and copulation were significantly suppressed in the 50-100 ng/L groups. No effect was observed in testis histology in the 50-100 ng/L groups. Our data suggests that reproductive behavior of O. melastigma can be utilized as a behavioral endpoint for ecotoxicology studies of endocrine disruptors in estuarine/marine environments.
Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, Taiwan.
Po-Yen
PY
Lee
Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan.
Chun-Yao
CY
Lin
Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, Taiwan; Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan. Electronic address: tehaochen@nmmba.gov.tw.
Te-Hao
TH
Chen
D000818:Animals; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009990:Oryzias / Q000502:physiology*; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D013550:Swimming; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol
Behavior; EE2; Medaka; Oryzias melastigma