EFFECTS OF ORALLY AND DERMALLY APPLIED METALDEHYDE ON MUCUS CELLS OF SLUGS (DEROCERAS-RETICULATUM) DEPENDING ON TEMPERATURE AND DURATION OFEXPOSURE

Using light and electron microscopy in combination with histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques, the impact of orally and dermally a pplied metaldehyde on mucus cells in the digestive tract, the skin, an d the salivary gland of the slug Deroceras reticulatum (Muller) was in vestigated. The studies showed that metaldehyde induces severe alterat ions and damages in mucocytes even under low temperature and humid con ditions when sufficiently high doses were applied. After metaldehyde a pplication, not only the quantity of mucus produced by slugs but also its quality is modified. Structural, enzyme-histochemical and immunocy tochemical investigations revealed metaldehyde-induced effects in muco cytes to be related to influences of the molluscicide on serotonin and on energy metabolism.