Preliminary assessment of Ostreopsis cfr. ovata acute toxicity by using a battery bioassay

Abstract

Ostreopsis cfr. ovata toxicity was estimated through acute bioassays using four crustacean species (Artemia franciscana, Tigriopus fulvus, Corophium insidiosum and Sphaeroma serratum). The epiphytic dinoflagellate showed significant toxicity towards all tested crustaceans, which have usually exhibited the highest mortalities with increasing the dinoflagellate cell concentrations. Furthermore, our results evidenced a higher sensitivity of A. franciscana larvae to Ostreopsis, compared with the other species. The results of our bioassays highlighted the usefulness of employing a base-set of different species rather than one derived from a single species, in order to obtain more reliable information on the algal toxicity.

Keywords:

• bioassays
• crustaceans
• toxicity
• Ostreopsis cfr. ovata

Acknowledgements

The authors whish to thank Dr. Isabella Parlapiano for help during laboratory operations.