Effect of PSP toxins in white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Boone, 1931

Cultured shrimp are often exposed to different toxic products during rearing practices that may affect survival and quality of the product. An evaluation of the effects of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSP) from species of Gymnodinium catenatum in white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) has been carried out in this study. Death was observed at doses > 5.0 MU (equivalent to 1.1 mug/g of STX), while lower doses provoked paralysis of pereiopods, disequilibrium, and abdominal spasms in the animals. Target organs such as the heart and brain were severely damaged, with cohesion loss and cell density reduction evidenced by histological analysis. Hence, pond productivity and quality of the harvested organisms may be affected by PSP toxins. This is the 1st report on the effect of PSP toxins from G. catenatum in white eg shrimp.