Morphology and molecular characterization of the toxic benthic dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae)

• Main Author: Soon, Bee Geok
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, UNIMAS 2013
• Subjects: Q Science (General); SF Animal culture; SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/4454/4/Soon%20Bee%20Geok%20%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/4454/

Gambierdiscus species able to produce toxins which can cause ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). CFP is a most common nonbacterial illness due to the comsumption of fish worldwide. In this study, detailed morphological investigation of Gambierdiscus species by using epi-fluorescene and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were conducted as to characterize the Gambierdiscus species from Malaysian waters. A few strains of Gambierdiscus sp. from Sibu Island were cultured and maintained in ES-DK medium at 26ºC under 12: 12 hr light: dark photocycle. The epi-fluorescene and SEM observations showed that the cells are aerolated, ellipsoid in apical view and anteriorposteriorly compressed. The plate formula observed was Po, 3′, 7′′, 5′′′, 1p and 2′′′′. Detailed examination of morphological features and morphometric measurement used to distinguish different strains of Gambierdiscus species. In this study, it revealed Gambierdiscus strain GdPS01, GdPS03 and GdPS04 were identified as G. belizeanus whereas GdPS07 was suspected as G. polynesiensis.