Effects of bisphenol A in the ring-legged earwig, Euborellia annulipes

Bisphenol A is a known endocrine disruptor in vertebrates that mimics the action of estrogens by interacting with hormone receptors. It also affects reproduction and development in many invertebrate animals, though mechanisms of action are unclear. Terrestrial insects, despite their abundance and profound ecological significance, have been largely overlooked as a group that might be affected by vertebrate endocrine disrupting chemicals. We evaluated potential effects of bisphenol A on the ring-legged earwig, Euborellia annulipes, as a model for terrestrial arthropods. Dosages of 0, 0.12, 1.2 and 12 microg bisphenol A were injected over a 6 day period into newly eclosed males and newly mated (7-day) females. The lowest dosage (0.12 microg) was most effective in eliciting significant effects including reducing weight gain while increasing testis size and seminal vesicle size; higher dosages were less effective or ineffective. In females, treatment with 0.12 microg bisphenol A enhanced clutch size but higher dosages were required to affect the duration of embryogenesis in offspring of treated mothers. Hatching success and the onset of the second reproductive cycle were not affected by treatments. No gross abnormalities were observed as a result of treatment in the reproductive structures of either males or females. Similarly, injection of varying concentrations of estradiol into males enhanced testis length, though it had no effect on seminal vesicle size. Lastly, we administered bisphenol A in drinking water for up to 2 weeks. Surprisingly, as little as 1 microg/L inhibited testis growth; 100 microg/L inhibited ovarian growth.