Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia Have Similar Sensitivity in Standard Acute and Chronic Toxicity Tests

The cladocerans Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia have been used for decades to assess the hazards of chemicals and effluents, but toxicity data for these species have traditionally been treated separately. Numerous standard acute and chronic test guidelines have been developed for both species. In the present study, data were compiled and curated for acute survival (48 h) and growth and reproduction tests with D. magna (21 days chronic) and C. dubia (7 days chronic) toxicity assays. Orthogonal regressions were developed to statistically compare the acute and chronic sensitivity of D. magna and C. dubia across a diversity of chemicals and modes of action. Acute orthogonal regressions between D. magna and D. pulex, a widely accepted surrogate species, were used to set a data-driven benchmark for what would constitute a suitable D. magna surrogate. The results indicate that there is insufficient evidence to suggest a difference in acute or chronic sensitivity of D. magna and C. dubia in standard toxicity tests. Further, the variability in the acute D. magna and C. dubia regressions were of the same magnitude as that in D. magna and D. pulex regressions. Slope and y-intercept values were also comparable. The absence of significant differences in toxicity values suggests similar species sensitivity in standard tests across a range of chemical classes and modes of action. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;00:1-14. (c) 2021 SETAC

Automated summary

The study found no significant differences in acute or chronic sensitivity between D. magna and C. dubia in standard toxicity tests. The variability in acute D. magna and C. dubia regressions was similar to that in D. magna and D. pulex regressions. Slope and y-intercept values were also comparable.