Postgraduate Program in Ecosystem Ecology-University of Vila Velha, Rua Mercúrio, s/n, Boa Vista I, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Postgraduate Program in Animal Biology-Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.
Biometals. 2022 Feb;35(1):115-124. doi: 10.1007/s10534-021-00354-5. Epub 2021 Nov 28.
We assessed fiddler crabs' (Minuca burgersi) ability to secrete metallic contaminants through ecdysis under controlled conditions. We fed them with contaminated food with different copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) amounts and measured their concentration in the released and renewed exuviae. We found a significant reduction in the average concentrations of Cu and Pb in the released and renewed exuviae-eliminating the exoskeleton in the ecdysis process helps in the metal detoxification mechanism of these animals. A portion of the concentration of metals is retained in the crustaceans' exuvia, and thus, they can be used to analyze bioaccumulation in ecosystems. Our results also reinforce the need for attention to the contamination characterization in crustaceans before and after ecdysis to avoid underestimation effects.
我们评估了招潮蟹（Minuca burgersi）在受控条件下通过蜕皮排出金属污染物的能力。我们用含有不同铜（Cu）和铅（Pb）含量的受污染食物喂养它们，并测量它们在释放和更新的外骨骼中的浓度。我们发现，在释放和更新的外骨骼中的 Cu 和 Pb 平均浓度显著降低，这表明蜕皮过程有助于这些动物的金属解毒机制。一部分金属浓度保留在甲壳动物的外骨骼中，因此它们可以用于分析生态系统中的生物积累。我们的研究结果还强调，在蜕皮前后需要注意甲壳类动物的污染特征，以避免低估效应。
