What is Pyrodinium bahamense var compressum?
Abstract. Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum is a toxic dinoflagellate that produces paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. It is responsible for the chronic toxicity of shellfish in many coastal areas of the Philippines and other South East Asian countries.
Who discovered Pyrodinium Bahamense?
Pyrodinium was first discovered in 1906 in the waters around New Providence Island in the Bahamas. Pyrodinium is a monospecific species with two varieties, Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum and Pyrodinium bahamanse var….
| Pyrodinium bahamense | |
|---|---|
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| (unranked): | SAR |
| Phylum: | Dinoflagellata |
| Class: | Dinophyceae |
Where can Pyrodinium bahamense be found?
Pyrodinium bahamense is a dinoflagellate that blooms regularly in Florida coastal waters, including Tampa Bay, Florida Bay and the Indian River Lagoon. There are two documented varieties of P. bahamense – one that is generally found in the Pacific Ocean and another in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
Where does saxitoxin come from?
Saxitoxin is produced by the dinoflagellates Gonyaulax, Alexandrium, Gymnodinium, and Pyrodinium. Similar to tetrodotoxin, saxitoxin binds to voltage-gated sodium channels within cell membranes, inhibiting membrane depolarization and blocking proliferation of action potentials.
What causes red tide?
A “red tide” is a common term used for a harmful algal bloom. This bloom, like many HABs, is caused by microscopic algae that produce toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat. The toxins may also make the surrounding air difficult to breathe.
What species of dinoflagellates are responsible for red tide in the Philippines?
The major species involved in the tropical Indo- Pacific red tides was the armoured, bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense Plate 1906, which was recently reclassified as Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressa Böhm 1931 (Steidinger et al.
What organisms use saxitoxin?
Saxitoxins and related compounds accumulate in a range of planktivorous invertebrates, including mollusks (bivalves and gastropods), crustaceans, and echinoderms, and fishes that ingest the toxigenic dinoflagellates.
Is saxitoxin a neurotoxin?
Saxitoxin and its derivatives, collectively referred to as paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), are unique among neurotoxins in that they are found in both marine and freshwater environments by organisms inhabiting two kingdoms of life.
What causes algae?
When dissolved oxygen concentration is low in the water (anoxic), sediments release phosphate into the water column. This phenomenon encourages the growth of algae. Early blue–green algal blooms usually develop during the spring when water temperature is higher and there is increased light.
Which organism is responsible for causing red tide?
Red tides are caused by algae, which are tiny, microscopic organisms that grow in the water.
Why do dinoflagellates cause red tide?
Red tides are common events in warm and polluted coastal oceans. They form when dinoflagellate algae explode to huge population levels. Because the dinoflagellates have red plastids, the waters literally turn red. Dinoflagellates take advantage of harsh environmental conditions that kill off other organisms.
Which is the best description of Pyrodinium bahamense?
Pyrodinium bahamense. Pyrodinium is a monospecific species with two varieties, Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum and Pyrodinium bahamanse var. bahamense. Pyrodinium is well known for producing Paralytic Shellfish Toxin s (PSTs), e.g. saxitoxin, and the bioluminescence that lights up the bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
What kind of shellfish is Pyrodinium var.compressum?
Pyrodinium is a monospecific species with two varieties, Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum and Pyrodinium bahamanse var. bahamense. Pyrodinium is well known for producing Paralytic Shellfish Toxin s (PSTs), e.g. saxitoxin, and the bioluminescence that lights up the bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
What kind of nitrogen does Pyrodinium need?
Pyrodinium is able to grow with nitrate and urea as nitrogen sources, but has low tolerance to ammonia. Pyrodinium cannot grow with alanine, arginine, or histidine as nitrogen sources, indicating limited ability to assimilate organic nitrogen.