Comparison of the behavioural and acute toxicity of copper to sheepshead, Atlantic croaker and pinfish

Abstract

Sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus), Atlantic croaker ( Micropogon undulatus) and pinfish ( Lagodon rhomboides) were each exposed to aqueous solutions of reagent grade cupric chloride in artificial seawater in four static bioassays. The 24, 48, 72 and 96-h TL m were determined to be, respectively, 4.17, 3.02, 2.19 and 1.14 mg Cu 2+·I −1 for sheepshead, 9.15, 7.55, 7.20 and 5.66 mg Cu 2+·I −1 for croaker, and 7.33, 4.43, 4.14 and 2.75 mg Cu 2+·I −1 for pinfish. These results are compared with literature values of experimental concentrations of copper producing subtle behavioural changes in these species.