The toxicity of manganese ethylenebisdithiocarbamate to the adult newt, Triturus cristatus.

The toxicity of ethylenebisdithiocarbamate (maneb), a widely used agricultural fungicide, to the adult newt (Triturus cristatus carnifex) was evaluated after percutaneous exposure. Maneb was lethal to all the animals at the 50 ppm level within fifteen days. Male newts seem to be less resistant to the toxicant than females. At concentrations as low as 25 ppm all males died within 25 days, whereas some of the females were still alive after 5 months. Microscopic examination showed that the skin and the kidney were the most severely affected organs. It has been hypothesized that an osmoregulatory breakdown and an impairment of cutaneous respiratory exchanges play a role in the death of the animals. Renal failure must also be taken into account. However, additional mechanisms can not be ruled out at present.