PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF FRESHWATER PRAWN, CARIDINA WEBERI TO THE PESTICIDE METHYL PARATHION IN RELATION TO SIZE AND SEX

The mature male freshwater prawns, C. weberi was the most sensitive among the five size groups, viz. juveniles, immature females, immature males, mature female and mature male exposed to methyl parathion. Among the same sexes of females, immature females are sensitive than the mature females, and in male sex, immature male was tolerent than mature male. Thus, there exist varied physiological responses to pesticide with relation to size and sex in C. weberi after pesticidal impact. Females are tolerent than the males, the sex dependent toxicity differences in C. weberi appears to set in after certain period of growth.