SEDL / STP / STP707-EB / STP27418S

Lumbriculus variegatus, a Benthic Oligochaete, as a Bioassay Organism

Bailey, HC
Fisheries biologist and manager, Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.

Liu, DHW
Fisheries biologist and manager, Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1980

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Abstract

The potential of the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus as a bioassay organism was investigated using various heavy metals and organic compounds as toxicants. Except in the cases of the pesticides tested, the sensitivity of this organism to chemical toxicants compared well with that reported for various fish and other invertebrate species. In addition, L. variegatus exhibited highly visible sublethal responses, such as color changes and fragmentation, to many of the chemicals tested. Lumbriculus variegatus can be cultured under laboratory conditions with little effort.