Toxic Algal Bloom Caused by Dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense in Chindong Bay, Korea

Abstract

Monospecific red tide by a toxic dinoflagellate belonging to the genus Alexandrium occurred at Chindong Bay in the southern coast of Korea and continued from April 6th to 15th in 1997. The ratio of its cell number to total phytoplankton cell number was much higher than $95\%$. This organism was identified as Alexandrium tamarense, although slight morphological differences were found comparing to the original and successive descriptions of the species. We found neither anterior nor posterior attachment pores in these cells of the bloom population. The occurrence of red tide caused by A. tamarense was first reported in Korea. Its plate formula is Po, Pc, 4', 6"c, 8s, 5"' and 2"". Thecal plates are thin with pore-like ornamentation. In those plates, the anterior part of the first apical plate (1') is narrower and its posterior end has sometimes a block-like accessory, but this variation was considered within the range of the morphological variability of this taxon. The cell density during the red tide exhibited a wide range of variation by the depth of water column, ranging from $2\times10^6$ cells$l^{-1}$ to $5\times10^6$ cells·$l^{-1}$. Water temperature varied from 11.8 to $12.3^{\circ}C$. Toxicity of A. tamarense during red tide was measured as $8.8\times10^5$. $MU\;\cdot\;cell^{-1}$ by mouse bioassay.

Keywords

• toxic dinoflagellate;
• Alexandrium tamarense;
• red tide