Abstract
Ostreopsis cf. ovata is a toxic marine benthic dinoflagellate responsible for harmful blooms affecting ecosystem and human health, mostly in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study we report the occurrence of a summer O. cf. ovata bloom in Currais, a coastal archipelago located on the subtropical Brazilian coast (~25° S). This bloom was very similar to Mediterranean episodes in many aspects: (a) field-sampled and cultivated O. cf. ovata cells aligned phylogenetically (ITS and LSU regions) along with Mediterranean strains; (b) the bloom occurred at increasing temperature and irradiance, and decreasing wind speed; (c) cell densities reached up to 8.0 × 104 cell cm−2 on fiberglass screen and 5.6 × 105 cell g−1 fresh weight on seaweeds; (d) and toxin profiles were composed mostly of ovatoxin-a (58%) and ovatoxin-b (32%), up to 35.5 pg PLTX-eq. cell−1 in total. Mussels were contaminated during the bloom with unsafe toxin levels (up to 131 µg PLTX-eq. kg−1). Ostreopsis cells attached to different plastic litter, indicating an alternate route for toxin transfer to marine fauna via ingestion of biofilm-coated plastic debris.
Highlights
Benthic dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Ostreopsis are cosmopolitan, present in both tropical and temperate areas [1]
In the present study we report the occurrence of a summer O. cf. ovata bloom on a coastal island located in the subtropical Brazilian coast (Paraná State, ~25◦ S)
Our results indicate that O. cf. ovata blooms should be carefully monitored over the subtropical Brazilian coast
Summary
Benthic dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Ostreopsis are cosmopolitan, present in both tropical and temperate areas [1]. One of the most toxic species, Ostreopsis cf ovata, has been responsible for blooms affecting both human and animal health worldwide [3,4,5,6]. This dinoflagellate produces toxins similar to the palytoxins, i.e., isobaric palytoxin (PLTX) and ovatoxins (OVTXs) [7,8], which can intoxicate humans by inhalation or the ingestion of contaminated seafood. It is necessary to investigate the molecular identification of the strains in addition to toxicity for assessing the potential risks to human health at each location
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
