Using the data for the normal respiratory metabolism of Teredo larvae as^a 

 standard of comparison a beginning has been made in a study of the toxicity 

 of whole, crude creosote. Known amounts of creosote were homogenized viith 

 sea water in a hand horaogenizer. Aliquots of the initial homogenate were 

 then further diluted and homogenized i;dth sea water. It was found that 

 a concentration of 0.5 x 10-5' gm/mi produced approximately fifty percent 

 reduction in oxygen consumption. 0,5 x 10-° gn/ml killed all the larvae 

 tested within three hours. 



In summary then, a method has been presented which permits the determina- 

 tion of oxygen consumption by a sing?ue Teredo larva. Results have been 

 presented which detail the oxygen consumption of larvae at different stages 

 of their free-living existence. Evidence has been presented which suggests 

 that Teredo larvae may absorb dissolved nutrient materials from their 

 medium, finally creosote has been shewn to effect a fifty percent decrease 

 in oxj'-gen uptake by twenty-four hour larvae vfhen it is employed in a con- 

 centration of 0.5 X 10-9 gm/ral of medium. 



Further details and clarifying observations will appear in appropriate 

 technical journals, 



LITERATURE CITED 



Greenfield, L. J, and G. E. Lane 



1953. Digestion of Gellulose by Teredo . J. Biol, Ghem. (in press) 



Isham, L. J. and J. Q. Tierney 



1953. Some Aspects of the Larval Development and Metamorphosis 

 of Teredo ( Lydrodus ) pedicellata De Quatrefages, Bull, 

 Mar. Sci. Gulf and Caribbean, 2(U): 57h-589. 



Lane, G. E., Posner, G. S. and L. J. Greenfield 



1952. The Distribution of Glycogen in the Shipworm, Teredo (Ly rodus J 

 pedicellata de Quatrefages. Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf and 

 Caribbean, 2(2) :385-393. 



Lasker, R. and C. D. Lane 

 1953. Origi 

 Yfood ' 



Tobias, Julian M, 



r, R. and C. D. Lane 



1953. Origin and Distribution of Nitrogen in Teredo , biol. bull,, 

 Yfood's-Hoie. (in press) 



.as, Julian m, oo ct -71; 



19 U3, Microrespiration Techniques. Physiol. Hev. , _£J:bl-fi?» 



L -5 



