Dinophyceae the authors intended the new genus to be described according to the botanical nomenclature. The lack of a Latin diagnosis therefore made it invalid. The confusion has actually still not been resolved, and the problem needs to be discussed and decided upon by the International Nomenclature Committee, before it can be fully resolved. Fig. 1 Karenia mikimotoi (strain K-0260), a historic strain isolated in 1977, as Gyrodinium aureolum, from Oslofjord, Norway, by Karl Tangen (micrographs from Gert Hansen) Thus mix-up of zoological and botanical nomenclature sometimes appears, even in major phycological journals. It may result in the creation of invalid species names, or it causes uncertainty about the validity of names. An example is the description of the genus Stoeckeria, which first appeared in 2005 in Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. The description lacked the Latin diagnosis required in botany at the time. The authors apparently intended this heterotrophic dinoflagellate to be described using zoological nomenclature. That is acceptable, a species which is validly described according to one Nomenclature, automatically becomes valid in the other. However, in the title of the article in which Stoeckeria was first described, the authors used the class name Dinophyceae, which is botanical, not zoological. Since the authors did not state specifically in the article which nomenclature they used, it caused some readers to conclude that because of the word Fig. 2. Dinophysis acuminata from Mariager Fjord, Danish coastal waters (micrographs from Øjvind Moestrup ) HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 59 / 2018 Name changes One of the problems facing the Task Team on Algal Taxonomy that maintains the List of Harmful Microalgae, is name changes (e.g. Karenia mikimotoi) (Fig1). This phenomenon shows no sign of disappearing, and it has recently become an even more serious problem, following the increased use of molecular sequencing. Invention and application of new techniques that allow species to be examined in more detail have commonly resulted in old species being split into two or more species. This happened when transmission electron microscopy (TEM) became a routine tool in the 1950s, used in detailed studies of small flagellates, morphological details of which are difficult or impossible to see using light microscopy (LM) but readily visible in the TEM. It resulted in the description of numerous new flagellate species, some harmful, others not. This became a problem for ecologists and others who did not use TEM in their investigations and identification to species level was no longer possible. A similar situation took place some time later, notably for diatoms, when scanning electron microscopy (SEM) became a general tool. In recent years, the problem has reached major proportions, following introduction of molecular methods. At the moment there is a tendency to split species into ever smaller units, discernible only by molecular methods. In other cases, some species have been merged, commonly based on studies of one or a few genes, or on observations of polymorphic life cycles (e.g. small cells of Dinophysis species) (Fig. 2). Controversy arises when certain genes of morphologically different species (morphospecies) are found to be very similar. Do such species in fact belong to a single species? This has become a major problem for the Task Team on Taxonomy, as it results in discussions on how to define species, genera, families, and in fact all taxonomic levels. Such decisions have always been a problem, but molecular techniques have enabled discrimination of very small parts of the genome, inducing some researchers to define only the genetically most similar strains as belonging to the same species. Categories, subspecies or varieties are presently rarely used by phycologists. If the genes examined are found to be slightly more different, the material is considered to represent different species, and if even more different, to belong to different genera, families, and so on. Is splitting or merging more correct? There are no rules for this problem in the Code of Botanical Nomenclature; it is up to the researcher her/himself to decide on how to define what constitutes a species, a genus, a family, etc. How to define a species has been discussed for longer that I care to remember, but there is still little agreement on this question. The same applies to the higher taxonomic levels. It is amazing that there is so much confusion, following so many years of careful study. Boenigk et al [1] in their discussion at the VI European Congress of Protistology in Berlin 2011, expressed it clearly: Scientists have been trying in vain for hundreds of years to find the correct definition of species, but the simplest conclusion is that one does not exist (p 99 in [1]). The species concept is a practical means that allows us to communicate about our organisms. However, there are currently more than twenty definitions of what defines a species, and The advent of molecular data ... compels us to reconsider how species may be most effectively and informatively delineated (p 99 in [1]). The so-called biological species concept is often mentioned, also in phycology: if two populations can cross and produce fertile offspring, they belong to the same species. This concept has strong limitations, however, as shown in both mammals and vascular plants. The two known species of buffalo, the American and the European, readily form fertile offspring. If they were to be placed together, they would most likely soon merge into a single species. Yet, we prefer to consider them two different species. The same applies to many other geographically separated organisms. The situation is further complicated by some populations of 13 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 59 - February 2018 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Content 25 years of HAN and IPHAB...... 1 25 YEARS Harmful Algae News was first published in early 1992 in response to requests from the participants at a number of IOC meetings and pacted by harmful algal events. Since Harmful Algae News turned 20 years old in 2012, it has been a web based e-newsletter which meant longer issues were possible and back issues easily accessible. We are currently working on a searchable index for all Harmful Algae News issues. The start of Harmful Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms also turned 25! During 1992, the same Year as the IOC published the first issue of Harmful Algal News, it also established an Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) which has met every second year since it was formed. The Panel is com A retrospective look at the early days of HAB cyst research, and a look to the future On this occasion of the 25th anniversary of the publication of Harmful Algae News, several of us were asked to look backwards in time to some of the earlier days of HAB science. One area of study that has been a ma dormant stages and that these stages might be associated with certain bottom sediments. This then brings up the question, if benthic resting stages of certain dinoflagellates actually seed coastal red tides, are there localized areas of accumulation, or what we could call seedbeds?..........The poss day, we still do not know if there are other factors at work perhaps a density-dependent or quorum-sensing type of response, or even a response to the presence of grazers or parasites. Exploration of this response has long been limited by the constraints associated with laboratory cultures, but now approach did not stand up to data at my study locations. I raise this issue in this narrative because I want to correct what I feel are unjustified recommendations that may prevent those working on cysts from obtaining the type of biological data that can advance our understanding of certain types o number of cysts in subsurface layers unable to germinate or emerge, presumably due to lack of oxygen or to the tortuous pathway posed by sediment grains and detritus. Many might think that major storms and waves can erode significant layers of sediment and transport cysts long distances, but here ag How do algal blooms kill finfish and how can we mitigate their impacts? Algal blooms, water discolorations and their association with fish kills have been recorded since historic times, such as the description in the Bible (1000 years BC) all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. A Table. 1. Economic losses from algal blooms for finfish aquaculture in different parts of the world HAB species Chattonella Heterosigma Cochlodinium polykrikoides Heterosigma Chaetoceros Heterosigma Karenia digitata Karenia mikimotoi Country Financial Losses Japan Korea, China Canada British Col emergency harvest operations. To prevent the buildup of histamines, fish should be kept alive as long as possible during harvesting. This can be achieved by diluting algal concentrations via airlift upwelling, or by targeted in-pen emergency application of clays [23] that mop up ichthyotoxins at cla As part of the 25th anniversary issue of Harmful Algal News I am providing an overview of the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Algae (www. marinespecies.org/hab/) and will highlight some of the problems which have faced or are facing the Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms Dinophyceae the authors intended the new genus to be described according to the botanical nomenclature. The lack of a Latin diagnosis therefore made it invalid. The confusion has actually still not been resolved, and the problem needs to be discussed and decided upon by the International Nomenclatur geographically widespread species being able to form fertile offspring, while other populations of the same species are not. Molecular techniques have contributed very significantly to solving many taxonomic problems, but they have not resulted in the emergence of a finite species concept. We have t Algal toxin discovery, management and regulation over the last 25 years Algal toxins in the dark ages (pre-1992) From a historic perspective, knowledge about algal toxins can be divided into truly prehistoric occurrences such as known from paleontological studies [1-2] and more recent historic recor lar rapid increase in known analogues has been observed for the azaspiracid (AZA) group, with the first analogue described in 1998 [64] and a review in 2014 reporting 30 analogues [65]. Only three years later, over 50 analogues are known for this group, including novel phosphate derivatives [66-71]. Butterflies in Brazil Abstracts are not always reliable guides to authors intentions. They are not expected to reveal a great deal about the evidence to be deployed in support of the science, evidence that may not even exist before deadlines for writing abstracts! Nevertheless, as examples of a mino on a decadal time scale, and identified palaeoclimatic oscillations are not necessarily a useful guide to its interpretation. An obvious obstacle to detecting climate signals in HAB data is posed by anthropogenic eutrophication. Another obstacle is the fact that phytoplankton respond directly to the trends, Karenia brevis might appear more often in the South Atlantic Bight of the US and Gymnodinium catenatum bloom more often in northwestern Iberian waters. There was also a warning by Barrie Dale germane to such speculations, that large scale climate models cannot predict local changes. Little m Red tides in Kamchatka coastal waters (Bering Sea, Russia) are a barrier for the salmon fishery and Pacific salmon Fig. 1. Map of Olyutorskiy Bay (Kamchatka, Bering Sea) where a red tide, reported by fishermen, occurred in July 2017. The stars denote fishery sites: red, affected by the bloom; green Fig. 2. Red tide in Olyutorskiy Bay on 15th July 2017 grounds of the Olyutorskiy Bay river basin performed during the second half of August showed an atypical distribution in the rivers. Maximal escapes were recorded in river basins located in the western and eastern parts of the Olyutorskiy Bay ar First report of Gambierdiscus in the Western Mediterranean Sea (Balearic Islands) Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) species are benthic dinoflagellates living in marine littoral zones of circumtropical areas and have recently been described in temperate waters [1]. Some species are producers of potent neu the SEASENSING (BIO2014-56024C2-2-R) project and the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. A. Tudó and A. Toldrà acknowledge IRTAURV-Banco Santander for their respective PhD grants (2016 PMF-PIPF-74 and 2015PMF-PIPF-67). The authors are grateful to Vanessa Castan and José Luis Costa for sampling Comparison by light microscopy and qPCR of potentially ichthyotoxic microalgae in Danish on-shore lagoons producing European flounder (Platichthys flesus): Pros and cons of microscopical and molecular methods Fig. 1. Lagoon used for production of European flounder at Fishlab, Denmark. Evaluation o Fig. 2. Comparison of phytoplankton species identification and cell densities (cells L-1) by qPCR (A and C) and light microscopy (target species and groups which potentially could comprise ichthyotoxic organisms) (B and D) in lagoon 1 (A and B) and lagoon 6 (C and D), respectively. The right Y-axis present in a sample then qPCR would miss those probably due to lack of a developed assay. However, LM does require high levels of taxonomic skills and the precision in identification is only as accurate as the taxonomist allows. Different taxonomists trained in different ways using different identif As qPCR measures genetic material rather than viable cells an over estimation of cell numbers can occur due to the inclusion of dead or dying cells. Problems may also occur when targeting multiple copy genes where the organism carries different numbers of the target depending on nutritional status, The Cawthron Institute Culture Collection of Micro-algae (CICCM) The CICCM is designated as a nationally significant database by the New Zealand government and so receives partial funding for its continued existence. Isolates from 13 classes of micro-algae are maintained either as live cultures or c The XVIII International Conference on Harmful Algae is approaching! It is time for nominations for achievement awards (Yasumoto Life Time and Patrick Gentien Young Scientist), registration to the conference as a student if you wish to participate in the Maureen Keller Award competition and fundraisi Forthcoming Events First announcement of the 11th International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria (ICTC) We are pleased to disseminate the first announcement of the 11th International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria (ICTC) that will be held in Krakow, Poland from May 5 10, 2019. The ICTC is a per International Coordination of Research on Harmful Algal Blooms From GEOHAB to GlobalHAB International cooperation is fundamental to advance understanding of HAB dynamics and to improve our ability to predict them. Fostering this international cooperation was the mission of GEOHAB (Global Ecology and 18th International Conference on Harmful Algae www.icha2018.com IMPORTANT DEADLINES Abstract submission deadline: 15 April 2018 Early bird registration: 15 July 2018 Get the 17 ICHA Proceedings at www.issha.org Eds-in-chief Beatriz Reguera, IEO, Vigo, Spain Eilen Bresnan, MARLAB, Scotland, UK Regi