ULTRASTRUCTURE OF GYMNODINIUM AUREOLUM (DINOPHYCEAE): TOWARD A FURTHER REDEFINITION OF GYMNODINIUM SENSU STRICTO

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Examination of the ultrastucture of the unarmored dinoflagellate Gymnodinium aureolum (Hulburt) G. Hansen (syn: Gyrodinium aureolum Hulburt) revealed the presence of nuclear chambers, which are specialized differentiations of the nuclear envelope, similar to those described in the type species of Gymnodinium, G. fuscum (Ehrenberg) Stein and certain other Gymnodinium species. The nuclear pores were restricted to these chambers. In the flagellar apparatus a nuclear fibrous connective linked the longitudinal microtubular root and the nucleus. This structure had so far been observed only in Gymnodinium spp. and in the heterotrophic species Actiniscus pentasterias (Ehrenberg) Ehrenberg, Nematodinium armatum (Dogiel) Kofoid et Swezy and Polykrikos kofoidii Chatton. Another unusual feature of G. aureolum was the presence of a striated fiber in the longitudinal flagellum, a feature previously only found in Ceratium furca (Ehrenberg) Claparède et Lachmann and C. tripos (O.F. Müller) Nitzsch. Gymnodinium aureolum also possessed a prominent ventral protrusion associated with the peduncle and containing electron opaque material. It is concluded that G. aureolum belongs to the Gymnodinium sensu stricto group. This may be a temporary classification, however, because G. aureolum and its allies differ from the type species G. fuscum by the presence of a transverse striated root, striated collars, trichocysts, and a peduncle.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Phycology
Volume37
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)612-624
Number of pages12
ISSN0022-3646
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'ULTRASTRUCTURE OF GYMNODINIUM AUREOLUM (DINOPHYCEAE): TOWARD A FURTHER REDEFINITION OF GYMNODINIUM SENSU STRICTO'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this