Imposex in the whelks Buccinum undatum and Neptunea antiqua from the west coast of Scotland

Whelks, Buccinum undatum and Neptunea antiqua, collected from three sites on the west coast of Scotland during 1997 showed varying degrees of imposer. Both the incidence of imposer and the degree of imposer development in individuals was greater in N. antiqua than in B. undatum. The results probably reflect long-term contamination of sediments with tributyltin (TBT) originating from inputs prior to its prohibition for use as an antifoulant on small boats and salmon nets in 1987, but indicate the potential for use of these deeper water whelks as bioindicators of continuing TBT pollution. The levels of imposer found were not such as to affect the fishery potential of the species in Scottish west coast waters. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.