Publisher : Bulletin of Marine Science
Place of publication :
Publication year : 1997
Thematic : Coral Reef
Language : English
Note
Benthic epiphytic dinoflagellates, associated with the human disease ciguatera fish
poisoning (CFP), were found in low abundance on four species of macrophyte from eight
separate sampling sites from the Belizean barrier reef ecosystem. Clonal cultures of
Gambierdiscus toxicus, Prorocentrum lima, P. belizeanum, P. hoffmannianum, and P.
mexicanum were found to be toxic. Highest densities of dinoflagellates were found as
epiphytes on the rhodophyte, Acanthophora spicifera, while lowest densities were found
as epiphytes on the angiosperm, Thalassia testudinum. Prorocentrum lima was the dominant
epiphytic dinoflagellate at all sites except the locations with greatest disturbance. At
these sites, the dominant dinoflagellates were Gambierdiscus toxicus and Ostreopsis
lenticularis. However, the maximum densities of all species observed were much lower
than other ecological surveys on these dinoflagellates from the Caribbean. The low abundance
of toxic dinoflagellates associated with the dominant macrophyte, Thalassia
testudinum, may be responsible for the low incidence of ciguatera in the Southern Belizean
barrier reef ecosystem. However, with the increased inhabitation of this area, cases of
ciguatera may rise.
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Keywords : threatened species
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
