title: Effects of Exposure to Methyl Parathion on Egg Hatchability and Eggshell Chemical Composition in Podocnemis expansa (Testudines, Podocnemididae).
abstract: Eggshell evaluation may serve as an indicator of the effect of substances released in the environment, which may change eggshell shape, size, structure, and/or chemical composition. Additionally, exposure may interfere with hatching rates in contaminated eggs. The objective of this study was to better understand how exposure to the insecticide methyl parathion interferes with chemical changes in eggshells of Podocnemis expansa throughout their artificial incubation, as well as with egg hatchability. A total of 343 P. expansa eggs were collected in a natural reproduction area for the species. These eggs were transferred to and artificially incubated in the Wild Animal Teaching and Research Laboratory at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. On the first day of artificial incubation, 0, 35, 350, and 3500 ppb of methyl parathion were incorporated to the substrate. Eggs were collected every three days for chemical analysis of eggshells. Hatchability was evaluated as the number of hatchlings in each treatment, for the eggs that were not used in the chemical analysis. Student's T-test was used for data on eggshell chemical composition, and the Binomial Test for Two Proportions was used in the hatchability analysis, at a 5% significance level. It was observed that the incorporation of methyl parathion to the substrate on the first day of artificial incubation of P. expansa eggs reduced the levels of total fat in the shells throughout their incubation, besides reducing egg hatchability.
authors.affiliation: 1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sady Alexis Chavauty
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Valdes
authors.forename: Lucélia Gonçalves
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Caio Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: dos Santos Mendonça
authors.forename: Priscilla Rosa Queiroz
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Evandro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Abreu Fernandes
authors.forename: André Luiz Quagliatto
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004528:Egg Shell / Q000737:chemistry*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D008743:Methyl Parathion / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008743:Methyl Parathion
keywords: contamination; fat; incubation; insecticide; reptiles