The freshwater pearl mussel (FWPM) Margaritifera margaritifera is a bivalve mollusk critically endangered in Europe. There is a special concern about the conservation of this species, but little is known about its sensitivity to environmental pollution. Here, acute toxicity tests were conducted at 16°C according to a standard guide for conducting toxicity tests on freshwater mussels (ASTM international E2455), in order to assess toxicity thresholds for arsenic (As), aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), nitrates (NO3−), and orthophosphates (PO43−) on newly transformed juveniles of M. margaritifera. The comparison with toxicity data for other newly transformed freshwater mussel juveniles from the same family and superfamily, Margaritiferidae and Unionidae, showed that FWPM juveniles were the most sensitive species to NO3−, among the most sensitive species to Ni, the least sensitive species to Cd, and showed an intermediate sensitivity to Cu compared to other freshwater mussels. This study is the first to provide toxicity thresholds for several pollutants on newly transformed juveniles of the FWPM. This brings new knowledge on its sensitivity to environmental pollution that could be helpful data for conservation strategies and these findings represent the first window for further complex studies.< Leer menos