''Gonyaulax'' is a genus of
dinoflagellate
The Dinoflagellates (), also called Dinophytes, are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered protists. Dinoflagellates are mostly marine plankton, but they are also commo ...
s with the
type species
In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...
''Gonyaulax spinifera'' (Claparède et Lachmann) Diesing. ''Gonyaulax'' belongs to red dinoflagellates and commonly causes
red tide
A harmful algal bloom (HAB), or excessive algae growth, sometimes called a red tide in marine environments, is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural algae-produced toxins, water deoxygenation, ...
s. It can produce yesotoxins: for example, strains of ''Gonyaulax spinifera'' from New Zealand are yessotoxin producers.
Structure
The plate formula in the genus ''Gonyaulax'' Diesing was redefined as Po, 3', 2a, 6", 6c, 4-8s, 5'", 1p, 1"".
Classification
All species are marine, except for one freshwater species, ''Gonyaulax apiculata''.
It previously included several species, which are now considered to belong to a separate genus, e.g.:
*''Gonyaulax tamarensis'' (now: ''
Alexandrium tamarense'')
*''Gonyaulax grindleyi'' (now: ''Protoceratium reticulatum'')
*''Gonyaulax polyedra'' (now: ''
Lingulodinium polyedra'')
Adaptations
''Gonyaulax''
dinoflagellate
The Dinoflagellates (), also called Dinophytes, are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered protists. Dinoflagellates are mostly marine plankton, but they are also commo ...
s can produce resting cysts that belong to the cyst-defined genus ''Spiniferites'' and other genera
Effect on humans
Although some ''Gonyaulax'' species can produce yessotoxins, which can accumulate in shellfish, no harmful effects to humans have been clearly demonstrated; however abalone mortalities have been related to blooms of ''Gonyaulax membranaceae''.
Red tide
A
Red tide
A harmful algal bloom (HAB), or excessive algae growth, sometimes called a red tide in marine environments, is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural algae-produced toxins, water deoxygenation, ...
is a discoloration of the sea water by pigmented cells like ''Gonyaulax spp.,'' some of which may produce toxins. ''Gonyaulax spinifera'' has been connected to the production of
yessotoxins (YTXs), a group of structurally related
polyether
In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group, a single oxygen atom bonded to two separate carbon atoms, each part of an organyl group (e.g., alkyl or aryl). They have the general formula , where R and R� ...
toxins, which can accumulate in shellfish.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5582128
Dinoflagellate genera
Bioluminescent dinoflagellates
Gonyaulacales