Neurotoxin tetrodotoxin as attractant for toxic snails

Abstract

The attracting effect of a small dose of tetrodotoxin (TTX) on eight toxic snail species (Polinices didyma, Natica lineata, Natica vitellus, Zeuxis sufflatus, Niotha clathrata, Oliva miniacea, Oliva mustelina and Oliva hirasei) and two non-toxic species (Pomacea canaliculate and Satsuma bairdi) was investigated. Each toxic snail species was determined to contain TTX. The minimum lethal dose of TTX for most toxic snails was estimated to be >44.5 μg TTX/20 g body weight, but for non-toxic snails it was <3.6 μg TTX/20 g body weight. After the attracting test, it was found that for all toxic snails there was a significantly positive relationship between the comparative attracting variation and the toxicity reported, and this relationship was linear (y = 5.895x + 3.443, r = 0.806). The relationship between TTX resistance ability and toxicity also had a positive correlation (y = 0.113x + 52.447, r = 0.814). However, non-toxic species showed a negative response. The more toxic snails appeared to prefer TTX, indicating that TTX is an attractant for toxic snails.