The Toxicity of Starfishes, Astropecten Genus, Inhabiting the Coast of Toyama Bay

Toxicity study was conducted using an official method (mouse assay) on 77 individual starfishes of the Astropecten genus collected in 5 sites inside Toyama Bay during the period from July 2002 to January 2003. Three kinds of starfishes were toxic, i.e., Astropecten polyacanthus, A. scoparius, and A. latespinosus meissner. Of A. polyacanthus. Those collected in the winter and spring were highly toxic, and there were regional differences in toxicity. The toxicity of A. latespinosus meissner, which inhibits only Himi, was less than that of A. polyacanthus. The toxicity of A. scoparius was weak. Toxic components were extracted and analyzed by LC/MS. Tetrodotoxin and related substances were confirmed to be present in all 3 kinds of starfishes.