Description of Noctilucaceae

Noctilucid dinoflagellates, feeding form is a highly inflated motile cell with a single flagellum and a prominent flexible tentacle; no differentiated dome; cytoplasm mostly in ventral region behind the tentacle, around the periphery of the cell, and between cytoplasmic vacuoles; a reduced ribbon-like flagellum beats in the ventral groove leading to the cytostome; may occur in very large numbers and as blooms end a paint-like red scum may form on the surface of water, no known toxicity, can be luminescent.