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Morphological identification of Alexandrium species (Dinophyceae) from Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea

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Abstract

Outbreaks of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and dense blooms caused by Alexandrium species in Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea have been nearly annual events for many years. However, excluding some Alexandrium species responsible for PSP, there are no critical reports on the morphology of Alexandrium species in this bay. To identify the Alexandrium species based on detailed morphological features, vegetative cells collected water samples and established by the incubation of resting cysts isolated from sediment trap samples were analyzed. Four species of Alexandrium were identified: Alexandrium affine, A. fundyense, A. catenella, and A. insuetum. Morphological features of these species were basically consistent with those outlined in previous studies. However, the ventral pore and the connecting pore on the sulcal plate, which have been accepted as diagnostic characteristics for the identification of A. fundyense and A. catenella, need to be reevaluated, indicating that useful morphological features for identifying these two species should be recommended to avoid confusion in the classification of species in genus Alexandrium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Library of Marine Samples, South Sea Research Institute, KIOST, Geoje, 53201, Korea

    Eun Song Kim, Zhun Li & Hyeon Ho Shin

  2. Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Ecology, Pukyung National University, Busan, 48513, Korea

    Seok Jin Oh

  3. School of Marine Technology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, 59626, Korea

    Yang Ho Yoon

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  1. Eun Song Kim
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  2. Zhun Li
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  3. Seok Jin Oh
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  4. Yang Ho Yoon
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  5. Hyeon Ho Shin
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Correspondence to Hyeon Ho Shin.

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Kim, E.S., Li, Z., Oh, S.J. et al. Morphological identification of Alexandrium species (Dinophyceae) from Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea. Ocean Sci. J. 52, 427–437 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-017-0031-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-017-0031-6

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