Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum sp. nov. (Gonyaulacales), a new dinoflagellate species previously reported as Protoceratium reticulatum

Abstract

The family Ceratocoryaceae includes the genera Ceratocorys, Protoceratium, and Schuettiella, whose phylogenetic relationships are poorly known. Here, the new non‐yessotoxin‐producing species of the genus Ceratocorys, Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum sp. nov., previously reported as the toxic Protoceratium reticulatum, is described from examinations by light and scanning electron microscopy, molecular phylogeny, and toxin analyses. The species description is made from culture samples of strains CCMP1740 and CCMP404 from USA waters. Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum is globular and has thick and strongly reticulated plates with one pore within each reticule, just like P. reticulatum, but the key difference between the two species is the presence of five precingular plates in C. mariaovidiorum instead of six as in P. reticulatum. The thecal plate formula is Po, 4′, 0a, 5″, 6c, ~7s, 5‴, 0p, 2′′′′. The apical pore plate is oval with a λ‐shaped pore. The first apical plate is narrow with a ventral pore on the right anterior side; it contacts the apical pore plate and its contact with the anterior sulcal plate is slight or absent. The fourth precingular plate of other Gonyaulacales is absent. Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum may have small spines on the second antapical plate. A phylogenetic study based on internal transcribed spacer/5.8SrDNA supports the morphological classification of C. mariaovidiorum as a new species of Ceratocorys and in a different clade from P. reticulatum.

Benthic flattened cells of the phylogenetically related marine dinoflagellates Protoceratium reticulatum and Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum (Gonyaulacales): a new type of cyst?

“…2, a-d) agreed with the description given by Reinecke (1967) (as Gonyaulax grindleyi) and Hansen et al (1996/97), and those strains of Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum (Fig. 3, a-d) with the description given by Salgado et al (2018). The two species presented very similar morphological features, among which were the thick reticulated plates with one pore within each reticule (Figs.…”

“…, a–d) with the description given by Salgado et al. (). The two species presented very similar morphological features, among which were the thick reticulated plates with one pore within each reticule (Figs.…”

“…1996/97, Salgado et al. ). Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum lacks the fourth precingular plate (4″), but the last plate of the series of precingular plates was named here as 6″ as in other gonyaulacoids, although Ceratocorys has only 5 precingular plates.…”

“…Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum has been recently described (Salgado et al. ) based on morphological, molecular phylogenetic, and toxin studies of the strains CCMP404 and CCMP1720 previously reported as Protoceratium reticulatum . In this study, we investigated the significance of a different life form that occurs during the life cycle of the dinoflagellates P. reticulatum and C. mariaovidiorum .…”

A review of rare and less well known extant marine organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst taxa of the orders Gonyaulacales and Suessiales from the Northern Hemisphere

“…Ceratocorys mariaovidiorum Salgado et al, 2018 is a junior synonym of the dinoflagellate Pentaplacodinium saltonense (see Mertens et al, 2018b). Mertens et al (2018a) and Salgado et al (2018) show that Pentaplacodinium saltonense had until then erroneously been identified as Protoceratium reticulatum (Claparède and Lachmann, 1859) Bütschli, 1885(al. Gonyaulax grindleyi Reinecke, 1967.…”