METAL - INDUCED INTRINSIC RESPONSE OF THE FEMALE CICHLID ETROPLUS MACULATUS (BLOCH) FROM SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA

METAL – INDUCED INTRINSIC RESPONSE OF THE
FEMALE CICHLID ETROPLUS MACULATUS (BLOCH)
FROM SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA
BY
K. B. VEENA *, C. K. RADHAKRISHNAN & J. CHACKO
* School of Marine Sciences, Fine Arts Avenue, COc/lin University ofScience and
Technology, Cochin-682 016, India.
Key Words: FISH PHYSIOLOGY; CICHLIDAE, INDIA.
ABSTRACT
The manifestation of the toxic effect ofthe metals copper, mercury
and selenium on the ovarian development ofan estuarine fish Etroplus
maculatus at sublethal levels have been studied. Ofthe five maturity
stages identified, three (immature virgins, maturing and ripe) were
considered for toxicity studies. On subjecting the ovary to histological
~xamination after 96h ofexposure to the metals in different experiments,
it was observed that mercury caused a deleterious effect on all the three
stages of ovarian maturity. Selenium and Copper did not induce any
structural ‘variations to the first stages of maturity. However, drastic
changes could be seen in the second and third maturity stages.