Chemical sensitivity of the male daphnid, Daphnia magna, induced by exposure to juvenile hormone and its analogs

It was reported that males daphnid Daphnia magna that have been induced by methyl farnesoate exposure exhibit higher tolerance to chemical compounds such as potassium dichromate and pentachlorophenol than females. Male neonates are also known to be induced by exposure to juvenile hormone analogs, such as fenoxycarb and pyriproxyfen. If these analogs can be used to produce male progeny, the biological and physiological studies of daphnid male would be progressed since the effects of these analogs were several hundred times higher than that of methyl farnesoate. Therefore, in the present study, it was investigated that the chemical sensitivity of male neonates induced by exposure to juvenile hormone (methyl farnesoate) and its analogs. The minimum concentrations of methyl farnesoate, fenoxycarb and pyriproxyfen to induce 100% male-reproduction were 200 nM (50 μg/l), 0.23 nM (70 ng/l) and 0.31 nM (100 ng/l), respectively. In addition, no reduction of relative reproduction was observed at the juvenoid concentrations in 24 h exposure producing 100% male progeny. The median effective concentrations (EC 50) of potassium dichromate for immobility of male neonates, established by a standardized method for investigating sensitivity to chemicals, were significantly higher (12–29%) than that of females at least after 24 h exposure in all the male neonates induced by juvenoids used in this study ( P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that the male daphnids induced by exposure to juvenile hormone and its analogs exhibit similar chemical tolerance.