RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Epibenthic harmful marine dinoflagellates from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), with special reference to the ciguatoxin-producing Gambierdiscus A1 Afonso Carrillo, Julio A1 Bravo, Isabel A1 Rodríguez, Francisco A1 Ramilo, Isabel A2 BotánicaEcología y Fisiología Vegetal A2 Botánica Marina AB The relationship between the ciguatoxin-producer benthic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscusand other epibenthic dinoflagellates in the Canary Islands was examined in macrophyte samplesobtained from two locations of Fuerteventura Island in September 2016. The genera examinedincluded Coolia, Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis, Prorocentrum, Scrippsiella, Sinophysis, and Vulcanodinium.Distinct assemblages among these benthic dinoflagellates and preferential macroalgal communitieswere observed. Vulcanodinium showed the highest cell concentrations (81.6 × 103cells gr−1 wetweight macrophyte), followed by Ostreopsis (25.2 × 103cells gr−1 wet weight macrophyte). These twospecies were most represented at a station (Playitas) characterized by turfy Rhodophytes. In turn,Gambierdiscus (3.8 × 103cells gr−1 wet weight macrophyte) and Sinophysis (2.6 × 103cells gr−1 wetweight macrophyte) were mostly found in a second station (Cotillo) dominated by Rhodophytes andPhaeophytes. The influence of macrophyte’s thallus architecture on the abundance of dinoflagellateswas observed. Filamentous morphotypes followed by macroalgae arranged in entangled clumpspresented more richness of epiphytic dinoflagellates. Morphometric analysis was applied toGambierdiscus specimens. By large, G. excentricus was the most abundant species and G. australesoccupied the second place. The toxigenic potential of some of the genera/species distributed in thebenthic habitats of the Canary coasts, together with the already known presence of ciguatera in theregion, merits future studies on possible transmission of their toxins in the marine food chain YR 2020 FD 2020 LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/26515 UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/26515 LA en DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna RD 22-dic-2024