First identification of the cylindrospermopsin‐producing cyanobacteriumCylindrospermopsis raciborskii inNew Zealand

Abstract

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is a planktonic freshwater cyanobacterium that is becoming increasingly prevalent in water bodies worldwide. During a survey of toxic cyanobacteria in New Zealand, C. raciborskii was identified in a sample collected from Lake Waahi (Waikato). This is the first identification of this species in New Zealand. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to confirm the presence of the cyanotoxins cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and deoxycylindrospermopsin (do-CYN). Detection of CYN and do-CYN demonstrates that C. raciborskii is a now a species of concern in recreational, stock drinking, and potable water supplies in New Zealand.

Recent occurrence ofCylindrospermopsis raciborskiiin Waikato lakes of New Zealand

“…The high rates of growth in the Waikato lakes, coupled with its apparent rapid dispersion, could have serious implications for lakes in New Zealand. Wood & Stirling (2003) detected the presence of the cyanotoxins CYN and deoxycylindrospermopsin (do-C YN) in samples from Lake Waahi. These factors collectively suggest that the proliferation of C. raciborskii in individual lakes and its geographical dispersion in lakes with high recreational or user values should be closely monitored.…”

“…It was first recorded in tropical and subtropical regions (Fabbro & Duivenvoorden 1996;Chapman & Schelske 1997) but has apparently spread rapidly over the past 10 years to invade temperate regions of Australia, Europe, and North and South America (Padisák 1997). The first confirmed identification of this species in New Zealand was by Wood & Stirling (2003) in Lake Waahi in March 2003. There is considerable morphological variation in C. raciborskii (McGregor & Fabbro 2000) and this is one of the reasons for its recent appearance in water bodies where it has been previously unrecorded.…”

Occurrence of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin in northeast Germany

“…CYN-producing strains of C. raciborskii were also found in New Zealand, Thailand and Japan (Li et al, 2001a;Wood and Stirling, 2003;Chonudomkul et al, 2004). In Europe and Brazil so far only C. raciborskii strains not producing CYN have been isolated, yet these strains contained paralytic shellfish poisons or so far unknown toxins (Lagos et al, 1999;Bernard et al, 2003;Fastner et al, 2003;Saker et al, 2003).…”

Seasonal morphological variability in an in situ Cyanobacteria monoculture: example from a persistent Cylindrospermopsis bloom in Lake Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico

“…Relative C. raciborskii morphotype abundance varies greatly among lakes. Jones and Sauter (2005) reported a subdominant abundance of the coiled morphotype in temperate USA lakes, while the coiled morphotype reached 98% of a multi-month bloom in a Brazilian reservoir (Bouvy et (Briand et al, 2004;Chonudomkul et al, 2004;Wood and Stirling, 2003). As we found for Lake Catemaco's population, comparison of genomic sequences of the morphotypes of C. raciborskii has not produced evidence of a genetic basis for determining morphotype Saker et al, 1999).…”