TOXICITY OF ZINC AND COPPER TO THE HERMIT CRAB DIOGENES PUGILATOR (ROUX)

Toxicity of zinc and copper to the hermit crab Diogenes pugilator (Roux)

Levent Bat, Mehmet Çulha, Mehmet Akbulut, Ayşe Gündoğdu, Murat Sezgin

University of Ondokuz Mayıs, Sinop Fisheries Faculty, Division of Basic Sciences, 57000 Sinop, TURKEY

Abstract

Several experiments were designed to investigate the separate and combined effects of zinc and copper in sea water on the survivorship of the hermit crabs Diogenes pugilator (Roux). Results showed that copper was more toxic than zinc to the test animals. Survival in sea water with dissolved zinc and copper was higher in the presence of sediment than without sediment. When copper was added together it zinc, this increased mortality of the test animals.

Keywords: Hermit crab, toxic, zinc, copper, synergistic