Effect of Particle Size and Pesticide Contamination on Preference and Ingestion Rates by the Tropical Freshwater Shrimp <i>Xiphocaris elongata</i>

Abstract

In tropical streams, freshwater shrimp are essential to preserve the structure and function of lotic ecosystems. Shredder shrimp play a fundamental role in organic matter decomposition because these feed on detritus. In addition, they are especially important organisms as they connect all trophic levels at food webs. In natural environments, decaying leaf material may accumulate contaminants, including insecticides and herbicides. At these, shredder shrimp can be exposed to these contaminants through ingestion of leaf litter material. The objectives of this study were to evaluate if the shredder shrimp Xiphocaris elongata display a preference for feeding on different plant species and leaf size areas while also assessing their consumption of leaves contaminated with pesticides. We also evaluated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity as a possible biomarker of pesticide contamination using an immunofluorescence and microscopy imaging approach. Our results revealed that the leaf area and plant species more appropriate for future toxicological studies is Spathodea campanulata leaves, with a leaf area of 0.65 cm2. This study also showed that sublethal concentrations of malathion and permethrin in leaves seem to have a significant effect on the ingestion rates of X. elongata, which suggests that the presence of these contaminants influenced feeding behavior. Immunofluorescence in cephalothorax ganglia showed a decline in AChE activity when the sublethal dose of malathion and permethrin increased. The observed results suggest that AChE activity can be used as a biomarker to detect and assess permethrin and malathion exposure on shredder shrimp.