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Synonym(s)
Gonyaulax catenella Whedon and Kafoid 1936
Protogonyaulax catenella (Whedon and Kafoid) Taylor 1979
Gessnerium catenellum (Loeblich III et Loeblich) Taylor 1979
(Horner 2002, Smithsonian 2012)
Classification
Empire Eukaryota
Kingdom Protozoa
Subkingdom Biciliata
Infrakingdom Alveolata
Phylum Dinoflagellata
Subphylum
Class Dinophyceae
Subclass Peridniphycidae
Order Gonyaulacales
Family Gonyaulacaceae
Genus Alexandrium
Species A. catenella (Whedon and Kafoid)
(Guiry and Guiry 2012)
Lifestyle
Alexandrium catenella is a marine photosynthetic dinoflagellate (Olenina and Olenin 2006). This species has both sexual and asexual cycles of reproduction. It reproduces sexually with opposite mating types
Close Heterothallic
(hetero- different; thallos green shoot or twig) Describing an organism that has male and female reproductive parts on different parts of the organism.
(heterothallism) and asexually by Close Binary fission A form of asexual reproduction where one cell divides into two identical cells. All prokaryotes and some eukaryotes reproduce in this manner. Compare with mitosis, where the nucleus must also divide, adding an extra step to the process.
Close Haploid Containing one set of chromosomes (1n, where n is the number of unique chromosomes). For example, human gametes (sperm and eggs) are haploid and have 23 unique chromosomes (1n = 23). See also Diploid and Ploidy.
Close Gamete A reproductive cell (sperm or ovum) that can combine with another reproductive cell to create a new individual.
Close Diploid Containing two identical sets of chromosomes (2n, where n is the number of unique chromosomes). For example, humans are diploid and have 23 unique chromosomes (n = 23), so most cells in your body each have 46 chromosomes (2n = 46). Gametes (sperm and eggs) are haploid (1n = 23). See also Haploid and Ploidy.
Close Cyst "A thick-walled dormant cell" (Horner 2002).
Description
Alexandrium catenella forms chains of 2, 4 or 8 cells that swim together like a snake. Individual cells are almost round, slightly longer than wide (Olenina and Olenin 2006). It has a large U-shaped
Close Nucleus (plural: nuclei) In eukaryotic cells, a membrane-bound organelle that contains the cell's genetic information; the nucleus controls the activities of the cell by controlling gene expression.
Close Apical (axis, spine) The region of the apex or point. Refers to the most anterior point or region of the cell (HPP 2003).
Close Foramen (plural: foramina) The space within an areolation or hole. Often used to describe features on diatom frustules and dinoflagellate thecae (Hasle and Syvertsen 1996).
Close Hypotheca In thecate dinoflagellates, the posterior part of a dinokont cell above the cingulum. The equivalent of a hypocone for naked dinoflagellates.
Close Epitheca In thecate dinoflagellates, the anterior part of a dinokont cell above the cingulum. The equivalent of epicone for naked dinoflagellates.
Measurements
Length: 22 - 51 μm
Width: 17 - 44 μm
(Smithsonian 2012, Montagnes 2006)
Similar species
This species is similar to Alexandrium tamarense but A. tamarense has a
Close Ventral Relating to the underside of an organism; abdominal.
Harmful effects
This species produces neurotoxins that cause deadly paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) events in the Pacific Ocean (Dyhrman et al. 2010). The PSP toxins can cause human illness (Smithsonian 2012). Symptoms of PSP include numbness around the lips, muscular paralysis, choking sensation and death (Hallegraff 1991).
Habitat
A. catenella is a coastal species (Smithsonian 2012).
Distribution
Geographic:
A. catenella is found in cold temperate coastal waters (Smithsonian 2012). It has been observed off the west coast of North America, Chile, Argentina, western South Africa and Japan (Smithsonian 2012). Generally, populations of A. catenella have been found in the North Pacific, South Pacific and South Atlantic (Horner 2012). Blooms that are restricted to harbours and other constricted zones have been seen in the Mediterranean Sea (Laabir et al. 2011).
Seasonal:
A. tamarense cells have been found in Puget Sound in late May and early June (Dyhrman et al. 2010).
Growth conditions
A. catenella is believed to bloom in temperatures ranging from 17 to 23 °C and salinities of 15 to 32 ( Montagnes 2006).
Bloom characteristics
This species blooms when surface water temperature exceeds 12 °C. In Chile, the highest cell concentrations (961 cells/mL) were found 14.5 °C and 15 salinity. The bloom led to several cases of human sickness and one fatality (Fuentes et al. 2008).
References
Dyhrman, S. T., Haley, S. T., Borchert, J. A., Lona, B., Kollars, N. and Erdner, D. L. 2010. Parallel Analyses of Alexandrium catenella Cell Concentrations and Shellfish Toxicity in the Puget Sound. American Society for Microbiology. 76(14): 4647-4654.
Fuentes, C., Clement, A. and Aguilera, A. 2008. Summer Alexandrium catenella Bloom and Impact on Fish Farming, in the X1 Aysen Region, Chile. International Society for the Study of Harmful Algae and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Copenhagen.
Guiry, M. D. and Guiry, G. M. 2012. A. catenella (Whedon and Kafoid) Balech 1985. http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=40281. Accessed 22 Jan 2012.
Hallegraff, G. M. 1991. A review of Harmful Algal Blooms and their Apparent Global Increase. Phycologia. 32(2): 79-99.
Horner, R. A. 2002. A Taxonomic Guide To Some Common Phytoplankton. Biopress Limited, Dorset Press, Dorchester, UK. 200.
Laabir, M., Jauzein, C., Genovesi, B., Masseret, E., Grzebyk, D., Cecchi, P., Vaquer, A., Perrin, Y. and Collos, Y. 2011. Influence of temperature, salinity and irradiance on the growth and cell yield of the harmful red tide dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella colonizing Mediterranean waters. Journal of Plankton Research. 33(10): 1550-1563.
Montagnes, D. 2006. Guide to Harmful Phytoplankton. University of Liverpool, UK. http://www.liv.ac.uk/hab/Data%20sheets/a_cate.htm. Accessed 22 Jan 2012.
Olenina, I. and Olenin, S. 2006. Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventory for Europe. http://www.europe-aliens.org/pdf/Alexandrium_catenella.pdf. Accessed 27 Jan 2012.
Smithsonian Institution. 2012. A. catenella (Whedon and Kafoid) Balech 1985. http://botany.si.edu/references/dinoflag/Taxa/Acatanella.htm. Accessed 22 Jan 2012.
