HEAVY-METALS IN RELATION TO THE BIOLOGY OF THE MUMMICHOG, FUNDULUS-HETEROCLITUS

Heavy metal levels of cadmium, copper, mercury, manganese, and zinc were examined in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroditus from industrialized and non‐industrialized environments. With one exception, the environment with the highest trace metal in its waters, had the fishes with the highest metal concentration. Except for mercury, the concentration factor varied inversely with the metal concentrations of the fish and water, suggesting a possible regulatory mechanism for metals in the tissues of mummichogs from environments with high metal concentrations. There was an inverse relationship between standard length and concentrations of zinc, manganese, copper and cadmium in whole male and female fishes. The viscera contained significantly greater concentrations of these metals than somatic muscle tissue. There were also significant differences between males and females with respect to whole‐body zinc and copper concentrations, but no sex differences for manganese and cadmium. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved