Genetic and demographic responses of mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki Girard 1859) populations stressed by mercury
- Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Zoology Dept.
Genetic and demographic changes in mosquitofish populations are reported after chronic (111 d) exposure to mercury. Sex ratios, normally female-biased in field populations, were also female-biased in control mesocosms. However, the sex ratio was male-biased in the mercury treatments. Frequencies of glucosephosphate isomerase-2 (Gpi-2) allozymes for fish exposed to mercury differed from initial frequencies and from those of control fish. In a selection-component analysis, female sexual selection was statistically significant for the mercury-treated fish; the proportional of females that were gravid differed among Gpi-2 genotypes. The number of developing embryos per female also differed among Gpi-2 genotypes. Mercury had genotype-specific effects on mosquitofish reproduction in addition to genotype-specific effects on mortality reported earlier. These effects may reflect metabolic qualities of the Gpi-2 genotypes or loci closely linked to the Gpi-2 locus.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 94322
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 14, Issue 8; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Allozyme genotype in mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, during mercury exposure: Temporal stability, concentration effects and field verification
Inhibition of glucosephosphate isomerase allozymes of the mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, by mercury