Pfiesteria piscicida is a dinoflagellate that some researhcers claim is responsible for many blooms in the 1980s and 1990s on the coast of North Carolina.

While some researchers have claimed that its living cycle is extremely complex (these scientists have found at least 24 different stages, spanning from cyst to several amoeba-like forms), other peer-reviewed research by government and university dinoflagellate experts has found only a simple life cycle with no toxic amoebic stage. The original research claimed that the organism apparently moves through many different stages as environmental conditions require. However, the new research from 2002 claims the cycle is much simpler than previously thought, and that the true Pfisteria is non-toxic (see external links). Further peer-reviewed research based on advanced DNA-analyses shows that the organism lacks certain genetic structure to be capable of making the type of toxic proteins associated with typical dinoflagellates.

Pfiesteria is named after Lois Pfiester, who researched dinoflagellates, and its species name means "fish-killer." The alga was discovered by JoAnn Burkholder at North Carolina State University. An in-depth story of her and her discovery can be found in And the Waters Turned to Blood by Rodney Barker.

External links

• Scientific American
• Neuse River Foundation
• US Department of Agriculture
• North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• ^*

Dinoflagellates

Pfiesteria | Pfiesteriaceae | Pfiesteria piscicida