Toxicity

de Solla, S.R., P.A. Martin, K.J. Fernie, B.J. Park, and G. Mayne (2006). Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine on gonadal development of snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(2): 520-526. ISSN: 0730-7268.
NAL Call Number: QH545.A1E58
Abstract: The herbicide atrazine has been suspected of affecting sexual development by inducing aromatase, resulting in the increased conversion of androgens to estrogens. We used snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), a species in which sex is dependent on the production of estrogen through aromatase activity in a temperature-dependent manner, to investigate if environmentally relevant exposures to atrazine affected gonadal development. Eggs were incubated in soil to which atrazine was applied at a typical field application rate (3.1 L/ha), 10-fold this rate (31 L/ha), and a control rate (no atrazine) for the duration of embryonic development. The incubation temperature (25 degrees C) was selected to produce only males. Although some males with testicular oocytes and females were produced in the atrazine-treated groups (3.3-3.7%) but not in the control group, no statistical differences were found among treatments. Furthermore, snapping turtle eggs collected from natural nests in a corn field were incubated at the pivotal temperature (27.5 degrees C) at which both males and females normally would be produced, and some males had oocytes in the testes (15.4%). The presence of low numbers of males with oocytes may be a natural phenomenon, and we have limited evidence to suggest that the presence of normal males with oocytes may represent a feminizing effect of atrazine. Histological examination of the thyroid gland revealed no effect on thyroid morphology.
Descriptors: turtles, atrazine toxicity, turtles growth, herbicides toxicity, oocytes growth and development, testis growth and development, turtles growth and development, aromatase biosynthesis, environmental exposure, enzyme induction, estrogens physiology, oocytes drug effects, ovum, temperature, testis cytology, testis drug effects.

Jones, D.E., R.M.J. Gogal, P.B. Nader, and S.D. Holladay (2005). Organochlorine detection in the shed skins of snakes. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 60(3): 282-287. ISSN: 0147-6513.
NAL Call Number: QH545.A1E29
Abstract: Lizards and snakes eliminate heavy metals in their shed skins. There are no data with regard to reptilian skin as a depuration route for organochlorine (OC) compounds; however, birds deposit OCs in feathers. Corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) were therefore fed thawed mice that had been injected with a mixture of alpha-chlordane, Aroclor 1254 (a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture), and lindane (gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane) at 2, 8, and 4 mg/kg, respectively. Feeding of contaminated mice occurred on the first weekly feeding of each month, with remaining weekly feedings consisting of noncontaminated mice, and was continued for 6 months. Shed skins were evaluated in a multiresidue OC scan by gas chromatography. All three chemical contaminants were readily detected in the shed skins: chlordane, 0.155-0.213 ppm; PCB, 3.49-7.01 ppm; lindane: 0.028-0.042 ppm. These data suggest that the shed skin of snakes may serve as an elimination route for OC contaminants and as such may have utility as a noninvasive, nondestructive indicator tissue for assessing environmental contamination.
Descriptors: snakes, environmental monitoring, shed skins, organochlorine detection, lizards, heavy metals, environmental contamination. noninvasive, nondestructive, indicator.

Keller, J.M., J.R. Kucklick, and P.D. McClellan Green (2004). Organochlorine contaminants in loggerhead sea turtle blood: extraction techniques and distribution among plasma and red blood cells. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 46(2): 254-264. ISSN: 0090-4341.
NAL Call Number: TD172.A7
Descriptors: reptiles, sea turtle, Caretta caretta, organochlorine compounds, organochlorine pesticides, monitoring, blood plasma, erythrocytes, extraction techniques, plasma, red blood cells.

Marco, A., J. Hidalgo Vila, and C. Diaz Paniagua (2004). Toxic effects of ammonium nitrate fertilizer on flexible-shelled lizard eggs. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 73(1): 125-131. ISSN: 0007-4861.
NAL Call Number: RA1270.P35A1
Descriptors: reptiles, ammonium fertilizers, nitrate fertilizers, nitrogen, pollution, lizards, ova, embryo (animal), embryogenesis, embryotoxicity, roots, nitrogen pollution, Podarcis hispanica, Podarcis carbonelli, egg fertilizer interactions.

Sifuentes Romero, I., C. Vazquez Boucard, A.P. Sierra Beltran, and S.C. Gardner (2006). Vitellogenin in black turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii): purification, partial characterization, and validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for its detection. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(2): 477-485. ISSN: 0730-7268.
NAL Call Number: QH545.A1E58
Abstract: Black turtle plasmatic vitellogenin (VTG) was purified from 17beta-estradiol-induced males using ion-exchange chromatography. The isolated protein was identified as VTG by its glycolipoprotein nature and amino acid sequence homology with other vertebrate VTG. It was characterized as a 500-kDa dimer composed of two identical, 200- to 240-kDa monomers. Polyclonal antibodies raised against black turtle VTG showed high titer and specificity, as demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. The range of the assay was estimated to be between 15 ng/ml and 2 microg/ml, and the inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation were 9.4 and 7.3%, respectively. Black turtle antibody cross-reacted with VTG of two other sea turtle species, Caretta caretta (loggerhead) and Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill), extending the applicability of the assay as part of a sea turtle health assessment program.
Descriptors: reptiles, vitellogenin, black turtle, Chelonia mydas agassizii, loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, detection, health assessment.

Talent, L.G. (2005). Effect of temperature on toxicity of a natural pyrethrin pesticide to green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 24(12): 3113-3116. ISSN: 0730-7268.
NAL Call Number: QH545.A1E58
Abstract: Metabolic rates of reptiles vary with body temperature; therefore, the sensitivity of reptiles to a particular dose level of a pesticide might be expected to vary as well. The purpose of the present study was twofold: To evaluate the effects of temperature on the toxicity to green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) of a single concentration of a natural pyrethrin pesticide via percutaneous exposure, and to compare the effects of temperature (20 vs 35 degrees C) on the toxicity of different concentrations of pyrethrins to green anoles. When lizards were exposed to a solution that contained 300 mg/L of pyrethrins, the mortality of lizards maintained at 15 and 20 degrees C was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the mortality of lizards maintained at 35 and 38 degrees C. In addition, the median lethal concentrations of pyrethrins for lizards maintained at 20 and 35 degrees C were 77.6 and greater than 300 mg/L, respectively. Therefore, temperature clearly influenced the sensitivity of lizards to pyrethrin pesticides.
Descriptors: lizards, Anolis carolinensis, pesticides toxicity, pyrethrins toxicity, temperature, effect, pesticide, metabolic rates, reptiles, sensitivity.

Talent, L.G., J.N. Dumont, J.A. Bantle, D.M. Janz, and S.G. Talent (2002). Evaluation of western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) and eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) as laboratory reptile models for toxicological investigations. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 21(5): 899-905. ISSN: 0730-7268.
NAL Call Number: QH545.A1E58
Abstract: A need is recognized for one or more laboratory reptile models for use in ecotoxicological studies and risk assessments. Maintenance of breeding populations of most reptile species under laboratory conditions is not practical because of their size and slow maturation rate. However, a number of species of spiny lizards (Sceloporus sp.) are small, mature quickly, and reproduce under laboratory conditions. We evaluated three populations of western fence lizards (S. occidentalis) and four populations of eastern fence lizards (S. undulatus) for their performance under laboratory conditions. We reared an F1 generation of each population and compared their performance relative to survival, growth, maturation rate, and reproductive output. A population from the San Joaquin Valley (CA. USA) performed especially well under laboratory conditions and is a good candidate for a laboratory model. We also examined the sensitivity of developing fence lizard embryos to an estrogenic chemical to determine if male secondary sex characteristics were affected. Microinjecting eggs with an estrogenic chemical (17alpha-ethinylestradiol) feminized males and prevented development of embryonic secondary sex characteristics. Therefore, embryonic fence lizards may be useful for studying the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Descriptors: reptiles, fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, Sceloporus undulatus, laboratory reptile models, toxicological investigations, pollution, evaluation, risk assessment, embryonic fence lizards.