Effects of cadmium on somatic and gonadal growth of juvenile females of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata (Brachyura, Grapsidae).

KOGAN, M., LÓPEZ GRECO, L.S., ROMANO, L.A. Y E. RODRÍGUEZ.

ZOOLOGICAL STUDIES

ACADEMIA SINICA

Lugar: TAIPEI, TAIWAN; Año: 2000 vol. 39 p. 344 - 350

1021-5506

Juvenile female crabs of Chasmagnathus granulata (Decapoda, Brachyura) were exposed to 0.1 and 0.5 mg/L of cadmium for at least 50 d before and 15 d after molting. The gonads were dissected and fixed for histopathological studies, while the carapaces were preserved to measure calcium content. A cadmium concentration of 0.5 mg/L was lethal for juvenile crabs. The few survival crabs at this concentration were unable to molt. Although most crabs exposed to 0.1 mg/L of cadmium survived and molted, they presented a significantly higher incidence of pathologies in the ovaries than did control crabs. These pathologies were hypertrophy and cariorhexis in primary oocytes, as well as reactional atresia in secondary oocytes. Although no significant difference in the proportion of crabs with mature ovaries after molting was noted between the control and cadmium-exposed animals, a trend towards slower maturity was noticed due to the effect of cadmium.