a cyst from a dinoflagellate ?

[Franz Neidl]

Could this be a mucoid temporary cyst from a marine dinoflagellate? I dont know the species of this "dino". Is it Gyrodinium? What is the function of a temporary cyst?

Franz

[BJ]

Hello Franz,

A very interesting photo (as usual!).

I think that it is a species of Cochlodinium, perhaps Cochlodinium schuetti (recorded from the Adriatic) or C. pirum (recorded from the Black Sea)

see:

http://ns.cearac-project.org/wg3/cochlo ... _right.htm

This genus is also beautifully illustrated in Kofoid and Swezy´s "The free-living unarmored Dinoflagellata" (1921) which can be viewed and downloaded from the internet archive at:

http://ia600307.us.archive.org/30/items ... fouoft.pdf

I think that you would find this reference interesting given the wonderful dinoflagellates that you are discovering.

Cochlodinium is very often - perhaps with some species one could say "usually" - found as cells "encysted" in mucilage ( +/- flagella).

thank you!

best wishes,

Brian