Gymnodinium quadrilobatum

Super Group: 
Alveolata
Phylum: 
Dinophyta
Class: 
Dinophyceae
Order: 
Gymnodiniales
Family: 
Gymnodiniaceae
Genus: 
Gymnodinium
Species: 
quadrilobatum
Authority: 
T.Horiguchi & R.N.Pienaar

Suggest a modification

Diagnosis

Cellula mobilis, forrna Gymnodinii, quasi rectangularis vel rotundata, dorsiventraliter compIanata, 21,6-29,4  μm longa, I9,6-25,5  μm lata, 13,7-21,6  μm crassa; sulcus angustus, antapicem attingens; chloroplasti aureo-brunnei, circ. 20 ad 30, disciformes, loriformes vel ellipsoidei, peripherici; nucleus dinokaryoticus et nucleus eukaryoticus praesentes; stigma conspicuum, posticum. Cellula immobills, sessilis, forma folii Trifolii quadrifoliolati; paries crassus; pagina cellulae laevis; reproductio asexuatis per cellulas mobiles ortas per bipartitionem protoplasti. Flagellatum marinum, arenicolum.  

Etymology

The epithet quadrilobatum describes the characteristic four-lobed shape of the non-motile form.  

Ecology

Sand layer in tidal pools.  

Life cycle

The reproductive cycle of the organism consists of a motile and non-motile phase. The nonmotile cell undergoes cell division and produces two motile cells. These motile cells are released at the onset of the light period. After several hours of swimming, the motile cell is directly transformed into the non-motile form by shedding its flagella. The newly developed non-motile form is devoid of a cell wall, but a thick wall is formed within 24 h. During this stage, the cell develops its distinctive shape . The nonmotile stage is regarded as a division stage and not a zygotic stage.  

Original description

Reference(s)

Observation site(s)

SYMBIONTS

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Nitzschia sp.