Evaluating prey capture by larval mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) as a potential biomarker for contaminants

We evaluated larval prey capture as a “behavioral biomarker” of contamination by examining feeding behavior of larval mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) from many different sites, including a severely contaminated “Superfund” site, moderately contaminated sites, and reference areas. Prey capture ability was related to sediment contaminant levels. The levels of contaminants at a site were highly correlated with each other, so that the impact of individual contaminants was confounded. The number of captures of brine shrimp by mummichog larvae from all sites was highly variable, but significant negative correlations of prey capture were seen with mercury, lead, zinc, cadmium, and PCBs. As observed previously with adults, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) did not appear to impair prey capture ability. The only site in which prey capture rates of 8-day old larvae were severely affected was the most highly contaminated Superfund site, Berryʹs Creek, NJ. This implies that larval prey capture is not as sensitive a behavioral biomarker for contamination as adult behavior studied previously.