VALIDATION OF EMBRYO TESTS FOR DETERMINING EFFECTS OF FUNGAL PEST-CONTROL AGENTS ON NONTARGET AQUATIC ANIMALS

Developing embryos of the inland silverside fish, Menidia beryllina, a nd grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, were exposed to conidiospores of the fungal weed control agent, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. a eschynomene and the entomopathogen, Metarhizium anisopliae. Only Metar hizium anisopliae caused significant (p less than or equal to 0.05) mo rtalities in the exposed embryos. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides did, however, cause fatal infections in adults when conidia were injected i nto the peritoneum of fish or the hemocoel of shrimp.