Dinoflagellate

Dinophysis acuta

Ehrenberg, 1841

Dinophysis dens, Dinophysis groenlandica

Description

The Dinophysis genus can be easily identified by the double collars (known as cingulum) around the top of the cell, and a further wing (known as the sulcus) running vertically down the cell.
Several species of Dinophysis have been shown to cause Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) and are known as Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species (Larsen & Moestrup, 1992).
On CPR samples seven species which have been shown or are suspected toxin producers are recorded. These species are D.acuminata, D.acuta, D.caudata, D.norvegica, D.rotundata, D.sacculus and D.tripos. This allows the CPR data to be used for assessing HAB species and commenced in January 2004.
Dinophysis acuta

Dinophysis acuta is an armoured dinoflagellate; its cells are large and robust, they are oval shaped, broad and flattened. The hypotheca is covered by small pores. It is among the largest species in the genus, and can be distinguised by the shape of its hypotheca and that it is at its widest below the mid-section.
D. acuta reproduces asexually by binary fission, and is often found on CPR samples in pairs.

Ecology: It is commonly found in cold and temperate neritic waters. (Dodge 1982)

Life form: Often found in pairs



CPR:1602ITIS:9930 WORMS:109604

Distribution and Abundance

Distribution 1958-1999 for all Dinophysis species

Worldwide distribution

Spring- Summer dominence



Image Identification not guaranteed. Contact gbrice@sahfos.ac.uk - last updated on Tuesday, November 16, 2010