Gymnodinium Stein, 1878: 89, 90, 91, 95, 97

Classification:
Empire Eukaryota
Kingdom Chromista
Phylum Dinophyta
Class Dinophyceae
Order Dinotrichales
Family Dinotrichaceae

Lectotype species: Gymnodinium fuscum (Ehrenberg) F.Stein

Original publication:Stein, F. von (1878). Der Organismus der Infusionsthiere. III. Flagellaten I. pp. 1-154. Leipzig: Engelmann.

Type designated inChatton, E. (1912). Diagnose préliminaires de Péridiniens parasites nouveaux. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France 37: 85-93.

Taxonomic status: currently recognized as a distinct genus.

Description: Small-to-large (<5-200 µm) unicellular athecate flagellates of various shapes; globular to spindle-shaped, or dorsiventrally to laterally compressed. Some species form long-chained colonies, others enclosed in temporary hyaline cysts. Amphiesma smooth to rigid, may be striated or punctuated. Cells with well-developed cingulum and sulcus. Cingulum more or less equatorial, or located more anteriorly or more posteriorly, these species not clearly separated from Amphidinium Claparède and Lachmann or Katodinium Fott, respectively. Cingulum circular or slightly displaced, inclusion in Gyrodinium Kofoid and Swezy sometimes arbitrary. Sulcus running from cingulum to the antapex, sometimes notching it but sometimes fading earlier. Sulcus may extend to the epicone and even encircle the apex. Chloroplasts present or absent. Nutrition phototrophic, phagotrophic, or myzocytotic which may result in acquisition of "kleptochloroplasts". Species with endosymbionts or remnants of chrysophycean-like or cryptophycean chloroplasts known. Some species have a stigma, others have trichocysts. Pusules may be very elaborate. Vegetative reproduction by binary fission; sexual reproduction and production of planozygotes with 2 longitudinal and 2 transverse flagella which later may form hypnozygotes acting as resting cysts. Cosmopolitan, freshwater, brackish and marine plankton, and benthos; some species sand-dwelling, others in snow and ice, also endosymbiotic species. Bloom-forming species can produce extensive red tides which may cause oxygen deficiency in bottom waters. Blooms of toxic species of economic significance. Some produce very potent toxins, some as aerosols, also harmful to man. Other species produce unusual sterols. Planktonic species may show vertical migration, phototaxis, and swimming speeds may reach 1 m h^-1. Chemosensitive species known. Transport of some species apparently in tanks of commercial ships from Japan to Tasmania and Spain may explain the recent occurrence of G. catenatum in these waters. Emended by G. Hansen & Moestrup (2000: 305).

Comments: Popovsky & Pfiester (1990: 89) place this genus in the Order Peridiniales.

NCBI Nucleotide Sequences

Numbers of names and species: There are 468 species (and infraspecific) names in the database at present, of which 296 have been flagged as currently accepted taxonomically.

Names: ('C' indicates a name that is currently accepted taxonomically; 'S' a homotypic or heterotypic synonym; 'U' indicates a name of uncertain taxonomic status, but which has been subjected to some verification nomenclaturally; 'P' indicates a preliminary AlgaeBase entry that has not been subjected to any kind of verification. For more information on a species click on it to activate a link to the Species database):

References
Popovsky, J. & Pfiester, L.A. (1990). Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa. Vol. 6. Dinophyceae (Dinoflagellida). pp. 272. Jena & Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer.

Dodge, J.D. (1982). Marine dinoflagellates of the British Isles. pp. 1-303. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Carty, S. (2003). Dinoflagellates. In: Freshwater Algae of North America, Ecology and Classification. (Wehr, J.D. & Sheath, R.G. Eds), pp. 685-714. San Diego: Academic Press.

Daugbjerg, N., Hansen, G., Larsen, J. & Moestrup, Ø. (2000). Phylogeny of some of the major genera of dinoflagellates based on ultrastructure and partial LSU rDNA sequence data, including the erection of three new genera of unarmoured dinoflagellates. Phycologia 39: 302-317.

Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in CD format. These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above. The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.

Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.

Linking to this page: http://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=43632

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 20 June 2013.

Algaebase taxon LSID: urn:lsid:algaebase.org:taxname:6790