Privitt Van Nest Fahrbach Fipronil Honey Bee Brain Data.xlsx

The synaptic organization of the mushroom bodies in worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) exposed to fipronil for 4 days or 12 days was investigated using immunolabeling for SYNORF-1 (anti-synapsin) and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Exposure of caged honey bee foragers to fipronil at a feasible field-realistic (1 ppb) concentration decreased the density of microglomerular synaptic complexes in the lip and collar neuropil regions of the mushroom bodies. Effects were also evident after lower (0.1 ppb) and higher (4 ppb) exposures. Other indicators of synaptic organization (bouton number, surface area) were also altered by exposure to fipronil in a dose-dependent fashion. Data were transformed for statistical analysis: log (x + 1). Data were collected in the Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Funding for this project was provided by the Wake Forest University Center for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.