Ciguatoxin reduces larval survivability in finfish

Abstract

Ciguatoxins are lipophilic polyether toxins which concentrate in the viscera and flesh of coral reef associated finfish ( Hessel et al., 1960). In this study, we quantify the adverse effects of ciguatoxin on fish embryos by microinjection into the egg yolk of medaka ( Oryzias latipis) embryos. Embryos microinjected with 0.1–0.9 pg/egg (ppb) of ciguatoxin exhibit cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal abnormalities and those injected with higher levels (1.0–9.0 pg/egg) exhibit significantly reduced hatching success. The sensitivity of embryonic fish to direct oocyte exposure indicates that maternal transfer of low levels of ciguatoxin may represent an unrecognized threat to the reproductive success of reef fish and a previously undetected ecological consequence of proliferation of ciguatoxin-producing algae in reef systems increasingly impacted by human perturbations.