Some species of fish have been used as bioindicators of aquatic environmental pollution all over the world. Pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) was selected for the current study due to its sensitivity to pollutants and because is one of the emblematic fish species that inhabits shallow lakes of the Pampa region (Argentina). Recently, in Chascomús lake were recorded concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn with values above the Argentine National Guidelines for the Protection of the Aquatic life. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of environmental concentrations of these metals on the sperm quality, fertilization and hatching rates, and embryo and larval survival of pejerrey. Also, the same endpoints were analyzed with concentrations ten times higher to simulate a polluted worst-case scenario. The results showed that the presence of some metals in aquatic environments reduced pejerrey sperm motility (in ~50%) and velocity (in ~30%). These results were obtained using a computer assisted sperm analyzer enforcing the application of this analysis as a tool or bioindicator of aquatic pollution. In addition, fertilization rate was diminished (in ~40%) for all treatments. Besides, the hatching rate, and embryo and larval survival were drastically affected being zero for the highest metal concentrations assessed. All together these results, showed that even lower metal concentrations can negatively affect different reproductive parameters of one of the most emblematic fish species of the Argentinean water bodies.

一些鱼类已被用作世界各地水生环境污染的生物指标。Pejerrey ( Odontesthes bonariensis )）因其对污染物的敏感性而被选中用于当前研究，并且因为它是栖息在潘帕地区（阿根廷）浅湖的标志性鱼类之一。最近，在 Chascomús 湖中记录的 Cd、Cr、Cu 和 Zn 浓度高于阿根廷国家水生生物保护准则。关于这一点，本研究的目的是调查这些金属的环境浓度对 pejerrey 精子质量、受精和孵化率以及胚胎和幼虫存活率的影响。此外，对相同的终点进行了分析，浓度高出十倍，以模拟污染最坏的情况。结果表明，水生环境中某些金属的存在降低了 pejerrey 精子的活力（约 50%）和速度（约 30%）。这些结果是使用计算机辅助精子分析仪获得的，该分析仪将这种分析作为水污染的工具或生物指标应用。此外，所有处理的受精率均降低（约 40%）。此外，在评估的最高金属浓度为零时，孵化率、胚胎和幼虫存活率受到极大影响。所有这些结果表明，即使是较低的金属浓度也会对阿根廷水体中最具代表性的鱼类之一的不同繁殖参数产生负面影响。对于评估的最高金属浓度为零，胚胎和幼虫的存活率受到极大影响。所有这些结果表明，即使是较低的金属浓度也会对阿根廷水体中最具代表性的鱼类之一的不同繁殖参数产生负面影响。对于评估的最高金属浓度为零，胚胎和幼虫的存活率受到极大影响。所有这些结果表明，即使是较低的金属浓度也会对阿根廷水体中最具代表性的鱼类之一的不同繁殖参数产生负面影响。