Introduction

Lilibeth Miranda

Alexandrium fundyense is a dinoflagellate
It has two flagella (one like a belt surrounding the cell body, the other along the body)
It has a theca, the "house" in which the cell body dwell, which is fit together by cellulosic plates like puzzle pieces
It lives in the upper layer of the ocean, and has weak mobility, hence it is called plankton
It is photosynthetic, hence a phytoplankton
It is widely distributed
It can cause harmful algal blooms (commonly known as "Red tides") as a result of active reproduction and low grazing by herbivores
It is capable of producing saxitoxin, a neuromuscular toxin that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP); the toxin can be accumulated through the food chain and end up in shellfish and some filter-feeding fish, constituting health threat for animals and humans