Purple spotted Gudgeon : its use as a standard toxicity test animal in tropical Northern Australia

The toxicity of wastewaters from uranium mines in the Alligator rivers region of tropical northern Australia was to be assessed using biological toxicity tests based on local species. Nineteen species had been screened for potential use as test organisms. On the basis of breeding and rearing success, the northern purple spotted gudgeon, Mogurnda mogurnda, was selected for evaluation. Dose-response relationships for various toxicants are presented. A closely-related species, M. adspersa, was found in more temperate regions of Australia. Together, the two species would permit the use of local species throughout most of the country.