The dinoflagellate genus Ostreopsis produces palytoxin‐like compounds (PLTXs) and the genus Gambierdiscus produces ciguatoxins (CTXs) and maitotoxin (MTX). Human illness has been recorded following the consumption of CTX‐contaminated finfish. Their effects on the flora and fauna in the environment are largely unexplored. Toxin profiles of extracts of Ostreopsis and Gambierdiscus isolates from the Pacific region were characteri...

The Cawthron Institute Culture Collection of Micro‐algae (CICCM) is a unique, nationally and internationally significant collection of 450 strains of approximately 100 micro‐algae and 50 cyanobacteria species, both living and cryopreserved. The collection comprises 13 taxonomic classes and underpins research into the ecology and taxonomy of the isolates and the biotoxins they produce and their toxicity. The CICCM expanded sign...

Epiphytic dinoflagellates were isolated from samples collected from macroalgae and corals during an expedition to the Kermadec Islands group, led by the Auckland Museum in November 2013. Isolates included species of Gambierdiscus and Ostreopsis , genera included in the ciguatera fish poisoning complex. Cells of a compressed (apical to antapical) form of Gambierdiscus were isolated into growth media, but species identification...

A globular form of the epiphytic dinoflagellate genus, Gambierdiscus , was isolated and cultured from Northland, New Zealand. The closest species, based on Bayesian analyses of the large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA) D1‐D3 and D8‐D10 regions, were G. yasumotoi and G. ruetzleri . The thecal plate morphology of the isolate, in particular the small pores and large 2’’’’ plate, most closely resembled G. yasumotoi . However, the...

Lake Omapere, Northland, New Zealand, contributes significant inputs of freshwater to Hokianga Harbour, and is subject to toxic cyanobacterial blooms. During summer 2004, ADDA‐ELISA analysis indicated microcystins were present in Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) in Hokianga Harbour, leading to farm closures. Once the bloom had abated, continued detection of low microcystin levels suggested toxin production may be from cya...

The diatom genus Pseudo‐nitzschia blooms throughout New Zealand's coastal waters. More than a decade of monitoring data were analysed in this study and seasonality was a significant factor in the appearance of Pseudo‐nitzschia blooms. Austral spring and summer were the main bloom periods, although there were regional differences. Between January 2000 and August 2011, 8.4% of 29,000 seawater samples analysed for Pseudo‐nitzschi...

The assessment of biological samples is critical for measuring the ‘health’ of New Zealand aquatic environments. Analysis of these samples commonly requires species identification and enumeration, which usually involves microscopy or microbiological methods. These techniques can be time‐consuming, laborious, and are dependent on taxonomic expertise. Recent advances in molecular methods provide promising tools for assessing env...

An individual non‐motile (NM) cell was isolated from a surface sediment sample collected in Guangxi, China and subsequently established as a dinoflagellate strain in culture. The motile cells are 22.5–32.5 µm long and 20.0–30.0 µm wide, with a plate formula of Po, X, 4′, 3a, 7″, 6c, 5(?)s, 5″′, 2″″, fitting the description of Vulcanodinium rugosum . The Chinese strain shares 99.8%, 97.4% and 96.7% similarity (LSU sequence) wit...

Three species of Kareniaceae, Karenia brevis , Karenia brevisulcata and Karenia mikimotoi were assessed for toxicity to juvenile Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ), snapper ( Pagrus auratus ) and six species of marine invertebrate larvae (Greenshell TM mussel, pacific oyster, paua [New Zealand abalone], sea slug, sea urchin and brine shrimp). Karenia brevis was ichthyotoxic to juvenile salmon with a LT 50 of 0.75 h at...

A pinnatoxin producing dinoflagellate was isolated in cyst form from sediments from Franklin Harbour, South Australia, December 2009. One isolate (CAWD180) produced pinnatoxin G, E, F and A (87, 10, 41 and 1.3 pg/cell respectively; liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer, LC‐MS, analysis) and another (CAWD183) produced pinnatoxin G only (13 pg/cell). Australian strains were identical to pinnatoxin E and F producers isolated fro...

A sandwich hybridisation assay (SHA) has been developed to detect Asterias amurensis (Lütken 1871), commonly known as the northern Pacific seastar, which is an unwanted, and as yet undetected, pest in New Zealand waters. Probes in SHA format have been developed that target the ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer region of A. amurensis. The successful assay utilises the capture probe ITS‐C2‐110 and the combined signal pro...

Most vector management and research on marine bioinvasions has focused on shipping‐related pathways. More recently, less obvious mechanisms, such as the aquarium trade, have been recognised as important mechanisms for marine invasions, such as for the alga Caulerpa taxifolia . In this study, macroalgal specimens were collected from aquarium shops in Auckland and Nelson. Specimens were initially identified morphologically as C....