[Effect of diesel fuel hydrocarbons and cadmium on the development of sea urchin progeny].

The long-term keeping of sea urchins of the genus Strongylocentrotus in a sea water with sublethal concentrations of the diesel fuel hydrocarbons (0.04-0.3 mg/l) or cadmium (0.001, 0.05, 0.1 and 1 mg/l) on the progeny development was studied. Sea urchins S. nudus are more resistant against cadmium than S. intermedius. The effects of long-term keeping of S. nudus in a sea water with hydrocarbons and of S. intermedius in a sea water with cadmium on the progeny development proved to be similar. The effects of both the toxicants were most distinct at the gastrula stage: the archenteron formation was delayed. Hydrocarbons exerted more toxic effects by the following criteria: decrease in the size of larvae, asynchrony and delay of development and frequency of defects.