Aquatic safety of Lagenidium giganteum: effects on freshwater fish and invertebrates.

Eleven freshwater species were exposed to a zoosporeproducing fungus, Lagenidium giganteum, with the goal of determining species sensitivity with standard and new test procedures. The tests included standard, 4-day acute exposures of cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia pulex, and D. magna) and the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Standard 7-day chronic exposures of C. dubia and a 7-day embryo-larval exposure of P. promelas were also conducted. New, 4-day acute, methods were developed for mosquitos (Aedes aegypti), chironomids (Chironomus sp.), oligochaetes (Lumbriculus sp.), cyclopoid copepods, snails (Physa sp.), hydrozoans (Hydra sp.), and ostracods. To assess L. giganteum zoospore (z) infectivity, each test included daily bioassays with the mosquito (A. aegypti), a target organism. Four-day A. aegypti LC50s ranged from 81 to 516 z/ml. Ceriodaphnia dubia acute test LC50s were as low as 6700 z/ml and the 96-hr LC50 from the chronic test was near 6250 z/ml with reproductive impairment at 12,500 z/ml. Daphnia sp. were also susceptible, with LC50s near 7700 z/ml for D. pulex and 9400 z/ml for D. magna. Chironomus tentans was infected at concentrations of > or = 5000 z/ml, but mortality was low and an LC50 could not be calculated even after exposures to 50,000 z/ml. The 7-day, early life stage test with P. promelas produced reduced larva growth in most treatments. Several species (Hydra sp., L. variegatus, ostracoda, copepoda, Physa sp., and P. promelas) were not affected in acute tests at exposures of 50,000 z/ml. The data show, contrary to many reports, that L. giganteum may affect some nontarget aquatic species. The key to successful laboratory tests is monitoring and maintaining the zoospores infection capacity.