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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Pfiesteria Piscicida And Dinoflagellates Similar To Pfiesteria, Harold G. Marshall Oct 1999

Pfiesteria Piscicida And Dinoflagellates Similar To Pfiesteria, Harold G. Marshall

Virginia Journal of Science

Pfiesteria pisiccida is a microscopic, unicellular organism that is classified as both a mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellate, which has been associated with both fish deaths and a cause of human illness (Burkholder et al., 1992; Glasgow et al., 1995; Burkholder and Glasgow, 1997). This species possesses a complex life cycle that includes motile forms (e.g. zoospores, gametes, amoebae) and a cyst stage that may remain dormant in the sediment (Burkholder et al., 1995b). Pfiesteria piscicida is known to have toxin and non-toxin producing populations, where cyst transformation into the toxic motile zoospores may be initiated by the presence of certain …


Growth And Feeding Studies On The Algal Feeding Stage Of A Pfiesteria-Like Dinoflagellate, David W. Seaborn, A. Michelle Seaborn, William M. Dunstan, Harold G. Marshall Jan 1999

Growth And Feeding Studies On The Algal Feeding Stage Of A Pfiesteria-Like Dinoflagellate, David W. Seaborn, A. Michelle Seaborn, William M. Dunstan, Harold G. Marshall

Virginia Journal of Science

The dinoflagellate Cryptoperidiniopsis sp. was isolated from sediment samples taken from Virginia estuaries, and established in culture for subsequent growth and feeding studies. The maximum abundance, or yield, of Cryptoperidiniopsis is exponentially related to the concentration of algal prey and is saturated at about 4.00 X 105 mL-1. Salinity from 10-20 ppt and temperature between 15-25 C have no effect on the yield of this form of Cryptoperidiniopsis. Light intensity has a secondary effect in that the algal prey reproduces more quickly in higher light as they are being grazed. Growth rates of Cryptoperidiniopsis were …