Toxicity and Growth Assessments of Three Thermophilic Benthic Dinoflagellates (Ostreopsis cf. ovata, Prorocentrum lima and Coolia monotis) Developing in the Southern Mediterranean Basin

摘要: Harmful benthic dinoflagellates, usually developing in tropical areas, are expanding to temperate ecosystems facing water warming. Reports on harmful species particularly scarce the Southern Mediterranean Sea. For first time, three thermophilic dinoflagellates (Ostreopsis cf. ovata, Prorocentrum lima and Coolia monotis) were isolated from Bizerte Bay (Tunisia, Mediterranean) monoclonal cultures established. The ribotyping confirmed morphological identification of species. Maximum growth rates 0.59 ± 0.08 d−1 for O. 0.35 0.01 C. monotis 0.33 0.04 P. lima. Toxin analyses revealed presence ovatoxin-a ovatoxin-b ovata cells. Okadaic acid dinophysistoxin-1 detected cultures. monotis, a chromatographic peak at 5.6 min with mass m/z = 1061.768 was observed, but did not correspond mono-sulfated analogue yessotoxin. A comparison toxicity characteristics these distributed worldwide, is proposed.