Abstract
Behavior of the mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) toward the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was tested under exposure to environmental 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic derivative of natural estrogen, estradiol. The mosquitofish were exposed to EE2 at different concentrations—0, 0.5, 5.0, and 50.0 ng/L—for 2 days, before their behavioral changes toward the medaka were observed. Results indicate that female mosquitofish became more aggressive at the high level of EE2 (50 ng/L), in terms of how persistently they attempted to approach the medaka. The males showed increased aggressive behavior toward the medaka, by significantly increasing the number and persistence of approach attempts at the low (0.5 and 5 ng/L) levels of EE2. At the highest EE2 concentration (50 ng/L), however, the number of attempts decreased, while the persistence increased in the males showing the same pattern as in the females. All behavioral changes were reversed once EE2 was removed from the environment.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the AUN/Seed-Net, a project of JICA, for fellowship support during this study. The authors appreciate kind support from students of Sakakibara Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University.
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Dang, H.M., Inagaki, Y., Yamauchi, Y. et al. Acute Exposure to 17α-Ethinylestradiol Alters Aggressive Behavior of Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Toward Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 98, 643–648 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-2016-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-2016-z