Developmental Disturbances in the Progeny of Sea Urchins as an Index of Environmental Pollution

The development of the progeny of Strongylocentrotus intermedius sea urchins collected in September 1999 at six stations of Peter the Great Bay (the Sea of Japan) was studied. No significant differences between the samples in the number of anomalies were observed at the earliest stages of embryogenesis (fertilization and the first cleavage division). The greatest deviation from normal development was observed in the progeny of sea urchins from station 1. The relationship between disturbances in the reproductive function of sea urchins and the level of heavy metal pollution of the Amur Bay ecosystem, as well as the usefulness of various indices characterizing the quality of the sea urchin progeny from the bioindication standpoint are discussed.