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(24–26). In vivo experiments with A. rubens by den Besten et al. surface to a depth of 120–150 m (34–36). C. julis belongs to the
(24) suggested that the echinoderm MFO system is inducible in mesophagic carnivore functional group; its diet consists mainly
response to exposure to CYP1A-type inducers. No data are yet of benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and mollusks, with
available on the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. bivalves representing the major fraction of total prey (35, 36).
The wrasse is a hermaphroditic, proterogynus, and diandric
Several studies, although not specifically regarding P. species, with sex inversion beginning at the end of spawning
caerulea and P. lividus, have reported inducibility of inverte- (July–August) and continuing throughout the rest of reproduc-
brate MFO system reductase activities by exposure to aquatic tive period (October–December) (34, 37, 38). A previous
pollutants. Large differences in sensitivity were observed investigation carried out in our group suggested that C. julis
between different species and enzyme activities. For instance, was a useful sentinel species for biomonitoring studies (31).
Livingstone et al. (18) measured elevated NADPH–cytochrome
c reductase activity (NADPH–cyt c red) in digestive gland P. caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) is a gastropod mollusc of the
microsomes of mussel Mytilus edulis and periwinkle Littorina Patellidae family. It is a grazing herbivore that removes large
littorea exposed to 29 and 123 ppb diesel oil for 4–16 months quantities of unicellular microbes, algal germlings, and detritus
under natural environmental conditions. The highest enzyme during feeding excursions around the home scar (39). Because
activities were found in organisms exposed to the higher dose. of its sedentary lifestyle, widespread distribution, and ease of
Nasci et al. (27) confirmed this enzyme activity in Mytilus sampling, this species is considered a good bioindicator and has
galloprovincialis, which is a useful indicator of chronic organic been used as a sentinel species in several marine environment
pollution. Osman and van Noort (28) reported a 12% increase in quality assessment studies (11, 40). Its sensitivity to pollutants
NADH–cyt c red activity compared with controls in specimens has been indicated by past studies (41).
of the earthworm Allolobophora chlorotica after in vivo exposure
to a broad-spectrum herbicide, paraquat. Vidal et al. (29) The sea urchin P. lividus (Lamarck, 1816) belongs to the
studied NADH–ferry red activity in freshwater clams (C. Echinoid family. This herbivorous invertebrate is bowl-shaped,
fluminea) exposed in aquariums to four doses of organic dark in color, and 7–8 cm in diameter, and its shell is covered
solvents, trichloroethylene (1.56 to 100 mg LÀ1), or toluene with spines. It lives on rocky, detritic bottoms or near seagrass
(7.5 to 60 mg LÀ1) for 5 days and concluded that this activity beds (42). P. lividus is very sensitive to various xenobiotics and
was a good biomarker of trichloroethylene or toluene exposure metals, especially during its first stages of development, and it is
under the experimental conditions used. Petushok et al. (30) widely used as bioindicator in biomonitoring programs (32, 42).
reported marked increases in NADH–ferry red activity in
digestive gland of the unionid mussel, Unio tumidus, after 72 h The present study was conducted in the framework of the
exposure in vivo to 1 or 10 ppm paraquat herbicide. MONIQUA–Egadi Scientific Project. The enzyme activities
investigated were the detoxifying activities EROD and BaPMO
We chose three marine species as sentinel organisms: the in C. julis and the accessory activities NADH–ferry red and
rainbow wrasse Coris julis, and the invertebrates P. caerulea (a NADH–cyt c red in the invertebrates. The main aim was to
limpet) and P. lividus (a sea urchin). Each occupies a different make the first step in the development and validation of an
ecological niche. Past studies have suggested their potential as ecotoxicological approach on the basis of measurement of a set
bioindicator species (11, 31, 32). C. julis (Linnaeus, 1758) is the of biomarker responses in the above sentinel species for
most abundant wrasse in the Mediterranean Sea (33). It lives in assessment of marine pollution in a coastal area. A further
coastal areas with rocky bottoms or seagrass beds from the aim was to obtain preliminary information on environmental
quality in an Italian MPA, the Egadi Islands (Sicily).

Figure 1. The study area measures 53 992 ha and was instituted in 1991. It comprises the archipelago of the Egadi Islands, consisting of
Favignana (33 km2), Marettimo (12 km2), Levanzo (10 km2) and some smaller islands such as Maraone and Formica (43). The area is divided
into three main protection levels. Zone A is shown in blue, Zone B is shown in green and Zone C is shown in orange. 1N is Favignana Harbor.

Ambio Vol. 36, No. 4, June 2007 Ó Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2007 309
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