Trophic Transfer of the Harmful Algal Toxin Domoic Acid as a Cause of Death in a Minke Whale (<I>Balaenoptera acutorostrata</I>) Stranding in Southern California

Abstract

Unusually high concentrations of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) were detected in a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) carcass recovered during a severe harmful algal bloom (HAB), which occurred in southern California in April 2007. Cell fragments of the toxigenic diatom Pseudonitzschia australis were observed in whale gastric fluid and feces, corresponding to a dominance of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. in the phytoplankton community at the time of stranding. A high abundance of otoliths from a prominent DA vector, the northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), were recovered in whale stomach contents, indicating trophic transfer of DA via the food web. Whale feces contained 258 µg DA per gram sample, exceeding DA concentrations reported for any marine mammal. DA intoxication was identified as the cause of mortality of this animal, expanding on the limited understanding of the impacts of DA-producing HABs on large whales.

Pseudo-nitzschia and domoic acid fluxes in Santa Barbara Basin (CA) from 1993 to 2008

“…In April 2007, shellfish DA concentrations in SBB reached $600 ppm and were the highest recorded since the start of the monitoring program. This high concentration event coincided with the death of a minke whale attributed to DA-poisoning in SBB (Fire et al, 2010). Sediment trap collections began to detect particulate DA during the March 13-31, 2007 time period, with fluxes increasing from 3.9 to 177 mg m À2 d À1 by May 4, 2007 (Fig.…”

Species occurrence of the potentially toxigenic diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia and the associated neurotoxin domoic acid in the Argentine Sea

“…The production of DA by field populations of P. australis was first confirmed in Monterey Bay, California (USA) in 1991, during an ASP outbreak that caused massive deaths of pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) and cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) (Fritz et al, 1992;Garrison et al, 1992). Since then, numerous studies have confirmed DA production of this species in culture, as well as its association with poisoning episodes in marine birds and mammals (e.g., Míguez et al, 1996;Sierra-Beltrán et al, 1997;Fraga et al, 1998;Scholin et al, 2000;Cusack et al, 2002;Schnetzer et al, 2007;Fire et al, 2010;McCabe et al, 2016).…”

Pseudo-nitzschia physiological ecology, phylogeny, toxicity, monitoring and impacts on ecosystem health

“…Southern California, USA frustules in gut and feces, DA in feces Fire et al (2010) Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima U.S. southeast coast DA in urine and feces Fire et al (2009) Southern sea otter…”