VALIDATION STUDY OF A PROTOCOL FOR TESTING THE ACUTE TOXICITY OF PESTICIDES TO INVERTEBRATES USING THE APPLE SNAIL

Abstract

This study evaluated a draft protocol for performing acute toxicity tests with pesticides, using the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa, as a test species. Juvenile snails of 1 and 7 to 8 days of age were used in flow-through exposures in which toxicant concentrations were measured daily. Due to some unique aspects of the biology of the apple snail, the protocol was developed with certain specific requirements for the species. The various requirements of the draft protocol were evaluated regarding compliance and non-compliance.