Thecal plate morphology, molecular phylogeny, and toxin analyses reveal two novel species of Alexandrium (Dinophyceae) and their potential for toxin production

Abdullah N 1 , Teng ST 2 , Hanifah AH 1 , Law IK 3 , Tan TH 4 , Krock B 5 Show all authors , Harris TM 6 , Nagai S 7 , Lim PT 3 , Tillmann U 5 , Leaw CP 8

Affiliations 

  • 1 Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
  • 2 Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. Electronic address: tsteng@unimas.my
  • 3 Bachok Marine Research Station, Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Animal Science and Fishery, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 97008, Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia
  • 5 Section Ecological Chemistry, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
  • 6 Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt, University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, United States; Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, United States
  • 7 Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
  • 8 Bachok Marine Research Station, Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia. Electronic address: cpleaw@um.edu.my
Harmful Algae, 2023 Aug;127:102475.
PMID: 37544675 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2023.102475

Abstract

This study describes two novel species of marine dinophytes in the genus Alexandrium. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses support the placement of the new taxa, herein designated as Alexandrium limii sp. nov. and A. ogatae sp. nov. Alexandrium limii, a species closely related to A. taylorii, is distinguished by having a shorter 2'/4' suture length, narrower plates 1' and 6'', with larger length: width ratios, and by the position of the ventral pore (Vp). Alexandrium ogatae is distinguishable with its metasert plate 1' having almost parallel lateral margins, and by lacking a Vp. Production of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), cycloimines, and goniodomins (GDs) in clonal cultures of A. ogatae, A. limii, and A. taylorii were examined analytically and the results showed that all strains contained GDs, with GDA as major variants (6-14 pg cell-1) for all strains except the Japanese strain of A. limii, which exclusively had a desmethyl variant of GDA (1.4-7.3 pg cell-1). None of the strains contained detectable levels of PSTs and cycloimines.

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