MICROSCOPIC ALGAE -Most of the 1100 species of this organism

undergo structural changes in response to the

--- this population produces over 99 % of the different phenomena ever present in the
food supply comsumed by marine animals. environment.
-Most of them are luminescent (The emission
GOLDEN ALGAE (CHRYSOPHYTA) of light that does not derive energy from the
--- contains yellow pigment called CAROTIN. temperature of the emitting body, as in
--- stores food in the form of carbohydrates and phosphorescence, fluorescence, and
oils. bioluminescence. Luminescence is caused by
--- types: DIATOMS & COCCOLITHOPHORES chemical, biochemical, or crystallographic
changes, the motions of subatomic particles, or
DIATOMS radiation-induced excitation of an atomic
^classes of algae contained in shells system.)
^shell composed of OPALINE SILICA
^ opaline silica is a semiprecious mineral.
^it contains considerable amount of water
locked into its silicate structure
^ these silica structures produce a siliceous
sediment called diatomite.
^these diatoms are the most important algae in
terms of production because some deposits of
these diatomite floats on land and ae used in
filtering devices.
^ structure of DIATOM:
-resembles a microscopic pillbox
-top and bottom are called valves.
-Protoplasm is the single cell is contained
w/m shell.
-Exchange of water and nutrients with
surrounding through slits /pores in valves.

COCCOLITHOPHORES
-covered with small calcareous plates called
coccoliths, made of calcium carbonate
-their group name means bearers of
coccoliths.
-The individual plates I was talking about are
about the size of a bacterium, and the whole of
the organism is too little to be contained in
plankton nets (plankton nets are cone-shaped
bylon nets towed by research vessels.)
-These Coccolithophores contribute
significantly to calcareous deposits in all the
temperate and warmer oceans.

DYNOFLAGELLATE ALGAE
( PYRROPHYTA)
-second in importance next to diatoms. Also
helps in production.
-They have flagella (whip like structures used
for locomotion, gives these organisms slight
ability to move into more favorable areas of
photosynthetic activity)
-They are not that geologically important for
their shells don’t really last that long.
 were Brown pelicans and Brandt’s cormorants
*RED TIDES died in a sudden mass mortality. Unaffected
This happens when . . . anchovies ingested the diatom and were eaten
Some time in our oceans, up to 2 by the birds.
million dinoflagellates are contained IN
1 LITER of water. The increasing occurrences and the devastating effects of
red tide poisoning is bombard of us. More and more species
Pytchodiscus & Gonyaulax are the of toxic organisms are being discovered and a bigger
types of dinoflagellates that mainly causes population is affected including dolphins ,humpback whales
RED TIDE. are succumbing to the toxins. Sewage and fertilizers make
These two are water-souluble toxins. their way into coastal waters which can harm organisms by
However Gonyaulax toxin is not poisonous causing an over supply of nutrients. We must rethink our
to the shellfish itself but concentrates ways for these may contribute to the increasing damages of
in their tissues and is poisonous to red tides.
humans who consume these
shellfishes. On the other hand,
Pytchodiscu toxin kills fish and ENAblanca.agustin©
shelfish.

During April & September, most areas

in the Northern Hemisphere are
quarantined against harvesting of
shellfish. These shellfishes feed on
Pytchodiscus & Gonyaulax and
concentrate poisons that they secrete
to levels that are way way too
dangerous to human beings.

The symptoms of paralytic shellfish

poisoning are similar to those of
drunkenness. Among these are
incoherent speech, uncoordinated
movement, dizziness and nausea.
There is a recorded number of 300
deaths nad 1750 non fatal cases
throughout the world. Until this day,
there is still no known antidote for this
toxin. This toxin attacks the human
nervous system, and the critical period
passes in the first 24 hours.

OCCURENCES OF POISONING DUE TO RED

TIDE

-1972 Massachusetts – Paralytic shellfish

poisoning from Gonyaulax red tide
brought about 30 cases and
fortunately, no deaths.
-1987 Canada – Caused by domoic acid,
toxin produced by a diatom. 100 people were
poisoned from eating mussels; of these, 3 people
died and 10 still suffer from memory loss. This
poisoning has been called amnesic shellfish
poisoning because of the memory loss suffered
by a great number of the victims.
-1991 California – The first known marine
bird poisoning occurred by domoic acid. Affected