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Hermaphroditism in the flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), manifested as intersex conditions, is linked to various environmental factors and anthropogenic pressures. Key contributors include exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), heavy metals, and pollutants that disrupt hormonal regulation, leading to sexual development abnormalities. Research indicates that Mugil cephalus is particularly sensitive to EDCs in coastal and brackish ecosystems. Our findings reveal that 19% of male individuals from the...

Transitional (brackish) water bodies host extremely vulnerable ecosystems. They are highly sensitive to pollution, changes in the water currents, nutrient levels, etc. Over the course of the 20th century in Bulgaria, many of them were purposely drained or strongly altered. Today, these fragile ecosystems account for just 0.1% of Bulgaria’s area, and hence they are listed among the country’s top priority nature conservation sites. The long-term preservation and survival of numerous rare or threatened hydrobionts de...