Comparative metal accumulation and toxicogenetic damage induction in three neotropical fish species with distinct foraging habits and feeding preferences.

Environmental pollutants affect fish species differently because their routes of exposure make them more critical to a specific group regarding foraging habits or food preferences. However, the association between local problems and environmental conditions makes a particular species more suitable for use in monitoring programs. Thus, this study compared muscle accumulation of metals (Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ti and Zn) and toxicogenetic damage to three neotropical species from the Itapemirim River Basin (Brazil) with distinct foraging habits and feeding preferences: Geophagus brasiliensis (benthopelagic - omnivorous); Harttia sp. (benthic - detritivorous); and Leporinus copellandii (pelagic - omnivorous). There was seasonal influence on muscle metal concentrations: Ba and Mn concentrations in G. brasiliensis, Cr in Harttia sp. and Zn, Al and Fe in L. copellandii increased during the rainy season. G. brasiliensis was the most sensitive species, since it had a statistically higher prevalence of erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities, which was influenced by seasonality. This result might be an effect of its benthopelagic habits, which favors contact with a larger group of contaminants due to its interaction with both water column and sediment. The present study showed the differential sensitivity of fish species and that the combination of chemical analysis of pollutants with evaluation of toxicogenetic responses helps to choose the best species for field studies.