Abstract
The sensitivity to some chemical agents was examined comparatively at sperm, fertilization, cleavage, blastula, gastrula, pluteus and metamorphosis stages of a sand dollar from Japanese waters (Peronella japonica) and a sea urchin from the Pacific coast of Australia (Heliocidaris erythrogramma). These agents included Cu sulphate, ABS and NH3 chloride. Responses observed included departures from control rates of fertilization and developmental reduction at the attainment of first cleavage, gastrula, pluteus or metamorphosis. Developmental anomalies were noted at the fertilization, 2-cell, gastrula, pluteus and metamorphosis stages. Using minimum effective concentrations of the 3 chemicals at various developmental stages of P. japonica, it was found that sensitivity to chemicals varies from fertilization to metamorphosis. It seems that sperm activity is the most sensitive, and that fertilization and gastrulation are more sensitive than first cleavage, blastulation and pluteus formation. H. erythrogramma seems to show nearly the same responses to Cu, but is more sensitive at metamorphosis.
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Communicated by M. Anraku, Nagasaki
Experiments conducted at the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Experiments conducted at School of Biological Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia
Contributions from the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, No. 664
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Kobayashi, N. Comparative sensitivity of various developmental stages of sea urchins to some chemicals. Marine Biology 58, 163–171 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391872
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391872