Pseudo-nitzschia
Encyclopedia
The genus Pseudo-nitzschia includes several species of diatom
s known to produce the neurotoxin known as domoic acid
, a toxin which is responsible for the human illness called amnesic shellfish poisoning
. This genus of phytoplankton is known to form harmful algal blooms in coastal waters of Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington state.
Species that have been shown to produce domoic acid (although not all strains are toxigenic ,) include:
Diatom
Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...
s known to produce the neurotoxin known as domoic acid
Domoic acid
Domoic acid , the neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning , also known as zombie acid, is a kainic acid analog, heterocyclic amino acid associated with certain harmful algal blooms.-Occurrence:...
, a toxin which is responsible for the human illness called amnesic shellfish poisoning
Amnesic shellfish poisoning
Amnesic shellfish poisoning is a human illness caused by consumption of the marine biotoxin called domoic acid. This toxin is produced naturally by marine diatoms belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia and the species...
. This genus of phytoplankton is known to form harmful algal blooms in coastal waters of Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington state.
Species that have been shown to produce domoic acid (although not all strains are toxigenic ,) include:
- Pseudo-nitzschia australis
- Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha
- cuspidata
- Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima
- Pseudo-nitzschia fraudulenta
- Pseudo-nitzschia galaxiae
- Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries
- multistriata
- Pseudo-nitzschia pugens
- Pseudo-nitzschia seriata
- Pseudo-nitzschia turgidula
External links
- NOAA Phytoplankton Monitoring Network
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA
- Toxic Blooms: Understanding Red Tides, a seminar by the Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionThe Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of all aspects of marine science and engineering and to the education of marine researchers. Established in 1930, it is the largest independent oceanographic research...
- NOAA Marine Biotoxins Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
- California Program for Regional Enhanced Monitoring for PhycoToxins, California Department of Health Services and the University of California, Santa CruzUniversity of California, Santa CruzThe University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
- Washington State Shellfish Biotoxin Program
- Series in Marine Phytoplankton: The genus Pseudo-nitzschia