Identifying harmful marine dinoflagellates

TitreIdentifying harmful marine dinoflagellates
Type de publicationJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuteursFaust, MA, Gulledge, RA
JournalSmithsonian Contributions from the United States National Herbarium
Volume42
Pagination1-144
Résumé

A taxonomic identification and reference guide of 48 harmful marine dinoflagellate species present in the world's oceans. This guidebook illustrates the morphology and taxonomy of harmful marine dinoflagellates of the following genera: Alexandrium, Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, Ostreopsis, Prorocentrum, Cochlodinium, Coolia Gambierdiscus, Gonyaulax, Gyrodinium, Lingulodinium, and Pfiesteria. These organisms have been implicated in marine life mortality events and/or seafood-borne human diseases. Some species cause problems due to red tide conditions, others produce toxins; e.g. brevetoxins, ciguatoxins, dinophysistoxins, and ichthyotoxins. Detailed taxonomic descriptions of plate and thecal morphology, and cellular structure are presented. Taxonomic treatment of species includes nomenclatural types, type locality, synonyms, and etymology. Information is also available on species reproduction, ecology, biogeography, distribution, and habitat and locality. Species illustrations presented as scanning electron micrographs, differential interference contrast and epifluorescence light micrographs, as well as line drawings. A comprehensive glossary list and literature reference section is included. Kofoidian plate tabulation followed for armored species plate designation. The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) was followed for the taxonomical treatment of species. This fully illustrated laboratory guide is intended for the researcher, instructor, and the student; it is the most comprehensive reference manual for identifying harmful dinoflagellate taxa. It can also serve as a field guide for marine biologists and environmental researchers.