Biomaterial Database

Phototaxis in aquatic invertebrates: possible use in ecotoxicity tests. 1988

G Dojmi Di Delupis, and V Rotondo

Laboratorio di Tossicologia Comparata ed Ecotossicologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome.

A series of experiments has been carried out aimed at (i) a deeper study of the phototaxis of some aquatic invertebrates and (ii) its possible use in ecotoxicity tests. For the first point the phototaxis of the nauplii of Artemia salina was examined: through tests carried out under different conditions, it was observed that a marked complex response to light existed, which led to a subdivision between individuals with different phototactic response, mainly depending on the density of the nauplii, on light intensity, and on spectral composition. The second point has been analyzed with A. salina, Daphnia magna, and Aëdes aegypti. For the first species it must be stressed that in ecotoxicity tests carried out with nauplii of A. salina one should bear in mind the complexity of their phototactic response. With D. magna and A. aegypti a simple pvc apparatus connected with optic fibers and set up on a microscope was used. The result is marked and easily observable; therefore, it will be possible in the future to perform easily tests with toxic substances which are important in ecotoxicology.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D003621	Daphnia	A diverse genus of minute freshwater CRUSTACEA, of the suborder CLADOCERA. They are a major food source for both young and adult freshwater fish.	Daphnias
D004784	Environmental Monitoring	The monitoring of the level of toxins, chemical pollutants, microbial contaminants, or other harmful substances in the environment (soil, air, and water), workplace, or in the bodies of people and animals present in that environment.	Monitoring, Environmental,Environmental Surveillance,Surveillance, Environmental
D000330	Aedes	A genus of mosquitoes (CULICIDAE) frequently found in tropical and subtropical regions. YELLOW FEVER and DENGUE are two of the diseases that can be transmitted by species of this genus.	Aede
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001156	Artemia	A genus of CRUSTACEA of the order ANOSTRACA, found in briny pools and lakes and often cultured for fish food. It has 168 chromosomes and differs from most crustaceans in that its blood contains hemoglobin.	Brine Shrimp,Shrimp, Brine,Artemias,Brine Shrimps,Shrimps, Brine
D014873	Water Pollutants	Substances or organisms which pollute the water or bodies of water. Use for water pollutants in general or those for which there is no specific heading.	Water Pollutant,Pollutant, Water,Pollutants, Water
D014874	Water Pollutants, Chemical	Chemical compounds which pollute the water of rivers, streams, lakes, the sea, reservoirs, or other bodies of water.	Chemical Water Pollutants,Landfill Leachate,Leachate, Landfill,Pollutants, Chemical Water