Abstract
We exposed zoeae of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii to either bis(tri-n-butyltin) oxide (TBT) or di-n-butyltin dichloride (DBT). Experiments were repeated with zoeae from females collected from the Petaluma River, California in June–August 1983 and 1984 or from Sykes Creek, Florida (USA) in February 1985. Using probit analysis, we calculated LC50 values for exposure lasting the duration of zoeal development. Tributyltin was 54 to 65 times more toxic than dibutyltin, the lower value characterizing the response of Florida zoeae. Increases in duration of zoeal development and reduction of dry weights of megalops, both sublethal responses, were dose-dependent for the two populations. However, zoeae from Florida consistently had shorter duration of zoeal development and higher megalopal weights at metamorphosis, indicating less sensitivity to an identical exposure to either organotin compound. The results of these experiments show that dibutyltin, a putative degradation product of tributyltin, is less toxic than the parent compound. In addition, early life-history stages of two populations may have significantly different responses to xenobiotic stress which, in the case of brachyuran larvae, is evident in a differential reduction of survival and growth and an increase in duration of zoeal development.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Alzieu, C., Thibaud, Y., Heral, M., Boutier, B. (1980). Evaluation des risques dus a l'emploi des peintures anti-salissures dans les zones conchylicoles. Revue Trav. (scient. tech.) Inst. Pêch. marit. 44: 301–348
Bayne, B. L. (1985). Responses to environmental stress: Tolerance resistance and adaptation. In: Gray, J. S. and Christiansen, M. E. (eds.) Marine biology of polar regions and effects of stress on marine organisms. Wiley & Sons, Chichester, p. 331–349
Bookhout, C. G., Costlow, J. D., Jr., Monroe, R. (1980). Kepone effects on larval development of mud crab and blue crab. Wat. Air Soil Pollut. 13: 57–77
Bryan, G. W., Gibbs, P. E., Hummerstone, L. G., Burt, G. R. (1986). The decline of the gastropod Nucella lapillus around south-west England: evidence for the effect of tributyltin from antifouling paints. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 66: 611–640
Hall, L. W., Jr., Pickney, A. E. (1985). Acute and sublethal effects of organotin compounds on aquatic biota: an interpretative literature evaluation. CRC critical Rev. envir. Control 14: 159–209
Jackson, J. A., Blair W. R., Brinckman F. E., Iverson W. P. (1982). Gas chromatographic speciation of methylstannanes in the Chesapeake Bay using purge and trap sampling with a tin selective detector. Envir. Sci. Technol. 16: 110–119
Laughlin, R. B., Jr., French, W. (1989a) Interactions between temperature and salinity during brooding on subsequent zoeal development of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii. Mar. Biol. 102: 377–386
Laughlin, R. B. Jr., French, W. (1989b). Differences in responses to factorial combinations of temperature and salinity by zoeae from two geographically isolated populations of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii. Mar. Biol. 102: 387–395
Laughlin, R. B., Jr., Gaurd H. E., Coleman, W. M., III. (1986). Tributyltin in seawater: speciation and octanol-water partition coefficient. Envir. Sci. Technol. 20: 201–204
Laughlin, R. B., Jr., Johannesen, R. B., French, W., Gaurd, H., Brinckman, F. E. (1985). Structure-activity relationships for organotin compounds. Envir. Toxic. Chem. 4: 343–351
Lee, R. F. (1985). Metabolism of tributyltin oxide by crabs, oysters and fish. Mar. envir. Res. 17: 145–148
Maguire, R. J., Chau, Y. K., Bengert, G. A., Hale, E. J. (1982). Occurrence of organotin compounds in Ontario lakes and rivers. Envir. Sci. Technol. 16: 698–702
Maguire, R. J., Tkacz, R. J., Chau, Y. K., Bengert, G. A., Wong, P. T. S. (1986). Occurrence of organotin compounds in water and sediment in Canada. Chemosphere (U.K.) 15: 253–274
Mattias, C., Bellama, J. M., Olson G. J., Brinckman, F. E. (1986). A comprehensive method for the determination of aquatic butyltin and butylmethyltin species at ultra-trace levels using simultaneous hydridization/extration with GC-FPD. Envir. Sci. Technol. 20: 609–615
Rosenberg, R., Costlow, J. D., Jr. (1979). Delayed response to irreversible non-genetic adaptation to salinity in early development of the brachyuran crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii, and some notes on adaptation to temperature. Ophelia 18: 97–112
SAS Institute, Inc (1985). SAS user's guide, Version 5. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina
Steel, R. G. D., Torrie J. A. (1960). Principles and procedures of statistics. McGraw Hill, New York
Unger, M. A., MacIntyre, W. G., Greaves J., Huggett, R. J. (1986). GC determination of butyltins in natural waters by flame photometric detection of hexyl derivatives with mass spectrometric confirmation. Chemosphere (U.K.) 15: 461–468
Valkirs, A. O., Seligman, P. F., Stang, P. M., Homer, V., Liberman, S. H., Dooley C. A. (1986). Measurements of butyltin compounds in San Diego Bay. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 17: 319–324
Waldock, M., Thain, J. (1983). Shell thickening in Crassostrea gigas. Organotin antifouling or sediment-induced? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 14: 411–415
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. M. Lawrence, Tampa
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Laughlin, R.B., French, W. Population-related toxicity responses to two butyltin compounds by zoeae of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii . Marine Biology 102, 397–401 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428492
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428492