Bloom of a red tide species Akashiwo sanguinea in Semerak Lagoon, Kelantan, Malaysia March 2016: i.e. Pseudo-nitzschia spp. (potentially toxic species), Chaetoceros, Skeletonema, and Blixaea quinquecornis (red tides, fish kills) [3]. In this survey, we confirmed the blooming species as the dinoflagellate A. sanguinea belonging to ribotype B. The potential occurrence and distribution of other ribotypes require further investigation, and the drivers of the recurrence of this species remain unknown. Therefore, routine monitoring along the lagoon is needed for early warning to minimize losses due to fish kill events. Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Ministry of Education Malaysia HICoE fund [IOES-2014C] to PT Lim. SN Tan is supported by UMT post-doctoral fellowship. Fig. 1. Chart of sampling sites at the Semerak Lagoon and cell densities of Akashiwo sanguinea The species Akashiwo sanguinea is a cosmopolitan naked dinoflagellate known to form harmful algal blooms (HABs). This bloom-forming species has been reported to cause seabird mortality due to saponification in Monterey Bay, California, USA [1]. In Malaysia, there are no reports of fish kill incidents caused by A. sanguinea to date, but the species is commonly found in Malaysian waters, especially in aquaculture areas [2-3]. The Semerak Lagoon, located in the north east of Peninsular Malaysia, is an important aquaculture area for finfish and shrimp. On May 23th, 2019, water discoloration was observed in the lagoon (Fig. 1). Following the incident, morphological and molecular analyses were performed to identify the bloom species. Water samples from nine selected sampling sites (S1S9; Fig. 1) were collected at 1 m depth using an 8-L Van Dorn water sampler. The sampling stations S1 to S3 were located inside, S4 to S8 outside the aquaculture area, and S9 at the river mouth. Clonal cultures were established through single-cell isolation from field samples. Field and cultured cells were observed using light microscopy and confirmed the species as Akashiwo sanguinea. Cells were 60.6 to 81.0 μm long and 46.6 to 60.6 μm wide with numerous ribbon-like chloroplasts in the periphery (Fig. 2). Gene amplification of the large subunit (LSU) region and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was perHARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 65 / 2020 formed by polymerase chain reaction. The species was previously reported to comprise four ribotypes (A, B, C, and D) [4]. Our results based on both LSU rDNA and ITS sequence analysis clearly indicated that the A. sanguinea population in Semerak Lagoon belonged to ribotype B; sharing the same ribotype with the strains found in Tumpat, Kelantan [4]. The LSU phylogenetic inference revealed that the strains from Semerak Lagoon shared identical sequences with those from China, Mexico, Singapore, and South Korea (Fig. 3A; MP/ML/BI: 99/99/1.0); while using ITS phylogeny, all strains from Semerak Lagoon shared identical sequences with one strain (GSXM02) from Xiamen Harbour, China (Fig. 3B; MP/ML/BI: 100/100/0.99). During the bloom event, the highest density of A. sanguinea was found at S7 (248,658 cells L-1; outside the aquaculture area), followed by S3 (177,773 cells L-1; inside the aquaculture area), and S8 (164,269 cells L-1; outside aquaculture area) (Fig. 1); the densities were higher as compared to the previous occurrences in 2015 and 2016 (highest density of 3,460 cells L-1; [3]). The phytoplankton community assemblage in the lagoon was diverse, with a dynamic shifting of phytoplankton community composition over time related to the nutrient dynamics in the lagoon. Aside from blooms of A. sanguinea, several different algal blooms were encountered between the study period of September 2015 and References 1. Jessup DA et al 2009. Plos One 4: e4550 2. Mohd Razali R et al 2015. Malaysian J Sci 34: 2436 3. Er HH et al 2018. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 25: 2294422962 4. Luo Z et al 2017. Harmful Algae 66: 8896 Authors Suh Nih Tan, Mohd Fadzil Mohd Akhir & Zainudin Bachok, Institute of Oceanography and Environment, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia Wendy Wee, Chui Pin Leaw & Po Teen Lim, Bachok Marine Research Station, Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia Email corresponding author: suhnih@umt.edu.my Fig. 2. Light micrograph of Akashiwo sanguinea from Semerak Lagoon. Scale, 20 μm 15 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 65 - September 2020 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Genomic resources for the domoic acid-producing diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata Species responsible for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are among the best studied unicellular microa Fig. 2. Schematic drawing of the life cycle of the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata. The vegetative phase is characterized by progressive cell size reduction of the population. When cells reach the sexual size threshold (SST), they can either keep decreasing in size until they die, or un Fig. 3. The genome browser available on the SZN BioInforma platform. The genome could be sequenced exploiting inbred strains, obtained from the cross of a first generation of sibling strains [7]. Because of the lower polymorphism of inbreds, it was possible to reconstruct long fragments of DNA from When tides collide: Harmful cyanobacterial and microalgal blooms in Florida and implications for risk assessment Cyanobacterial blooms are a regular occurrence in southern Florida. Water releases from Lake Okeechobee to maintain the water level in this large lake regularly occur along the St. Lucie Pim and Calusa Waterkeepers for assistance in sampling. References 1. Metcalf JS et al (in press). Neurotox Res 2. Matthiensen et al 2000. In: de Koe WJ et al (eds), Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins in Perspective at the Turn of the Millenium. Proc Xth Int IUPAC symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins, Gu Record levels of Dinophysistoxin-2 in clams from Douarnenez Bay, France, after an unusual bloom of Dinophysis acuta Fig. 1. Location of Douarnenez Bay (48 5 29 North; 4 19 51 West), Western French Atlantic coast. The official monitoring network for phytoplankton and algal toxins in French shellfis Fig. 4. Weekly lipophilic toxin concentrations in Donax spp. in 2019 and 2020. Fig. 3. (A) Percentage of Dinophysis species in Douarnenez Bay water samples between 2010 and August 2020. (B) Mean percentage of DSP toxins in Douarnenez Bay in Donax spp. between 2010 and August 2020. recorded in Dona New insights on the diversity of the dinoflagellate genus Ostreopsis in lagoons of French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean French Polynesia is a vast territory in the South Pacific Ocean, stretching over an expanse of more than 1,200 miles with a surface area as large as Europe. It is composed of 118 health hazards posed by the proliferation of this species in French Polynesian lagoons. Future studies should aim at developing a better understanding the biogeographic distribution of this species, as well as assessing the impacts of its associated toxins on coral reef ecosystems and/or putative ac Toxin profiles of Gambierdiscus lapillus from the Cook Islands Species of the dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus produce the toxins responsible for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), an illness that has been prevalent throughout the Pacific and particularly in the Cook Islands [1]. The illness is cause Fig. 3. Phylogenetic analysis of partial large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences (D8D10 region) from the Gambierdiscus strains isolated in this study (in bold font) using Bayesian analyses. Values at nodes represent Bayesian posterior probability support. Scale bar is substitutions per site. lus was Unusual bloom of the red alga Ceramium sp. (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in Cartagena, Colombia, SW Caribbean Sea Fig. 1. Map of the study site. Macroalgal blooms are frequently associated with eutrophication of coastal waters [1]. These blooms are mainly composed of ephemeral and opportunistic green a ported as bloom forming species, and this finding adds another genus to the group of harmful bloom-forming macroalgae. Furthermore, this report highlights the potential introduction of a new species which has passed undetected until now. This would not be the first case of a potentially introduced b Distribution of the fish-killing dinoflagellate Karlodinium (Dinophyceae) in the Johor Strait, Malaysia Fig. 1. Sampling sites in the Johor Strait Species of Karlodinium are naked dinoflagellates. More than one third of the named species have been known to cause fish mortality. Toxigenic Karlod- Bloom of a red tide species Akashiwo sanguinea in Semerak Lagoon, Kelantan, Malaysia March 2016: i.e. Pseudo-nitzschia spp. (potentially toxic species), Chaetoceros, Skeletonema, and Blixaea quinquecornis (red tides, fish kills) [3]. In this survey, we confirmed the blooming species as the dinoflag Fig. 3 Bayesian trees of Akashiwo sanguinea inferred from (A) LSU rDNA and (B) ITS datasets. Values on nodes represent bootstrap supports of MP, ML, and posterior probabilities of BI Continued from page 14 sulcus extension invading the epicone is visible (Fig. 3B). Cells are slightly pigmented, wi CLEFSA project identifies Harmful Algal Blooms as a threat to food safety resulting from climate change Fig. 1. Organizations involved in the CLEFSA project Climate change is one of the key drivers of emerging risks for food and feed safety, plant and animal health (including terrestrial and aquat Fig. 3. CLEFSA Multi-Criteria strategy which several directly related to toxins produced by harmful algal blooms (HABs). These include: ciguatoxin, domoic acid, okadaic acid, saxitoxin, pinnatoxin, tetrodotoxin, beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and palytoxin analogues. The analysis indicates that Blooming Buddies: MSc Research Projects Extend our Knowledge on Bloom-Forming Freshwater Cyanobacteria Freshwater cyanobacteria blooms are an increasing problem globally and much work is focussing on understanding bloom dynamics and toxin production in order to better manage the inherent health risk Fig. 2. Confocal microscopy images of Planktothrix sp. CAWBG59 (A), Microcystis aeruginosa CAWBG617 (B) and Nodularia spumigena CAWBG21 (C) stained with SYTOXTM green so that lysed cells fluoresce green, whilst intact cells are detected by red chlorophyll autofluorescence. bacterium interfering wit 25 years of service enhancing the capacity to monitor and manage HABs Fig. 1. Participants from the first course held at the IOC Centre in Copenhagen in 1995 The IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae opened in May 1995 at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a new concept International Phytoplankton Intercomparison (IPI) exercise in abundance and composition of marine microalgae Dear participants of the annual IPI (International Phytoplankton Intercomparison) exercise in abundance and composition of marine microalgae: This note is to confirm that due to the ongoing p Canadian review: Marine harmful algal blooms and phycotoxins of concern to Canada As has been reinforced all too well in recent months with the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is indeed interconnected. The international harmful algal bloom community recognized this early on, with a series of internatio Fig. 2. Maps showing the location of selected phycotoxins on the Canadian east (left) and west (right) coast. Symbols represent domoic acid and okadaic acid group toxins above (closed symbols) and below (open symbols) the regulatory action level. The green shaded areas show the distribution of saxit Terri Wells (DFO-NAFC, St. Johns, NL); Michel Poulin (Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, ON); Wade A. Rourke (CFIA, Dartmouth, NS). Fig. 4. Heterosigma akashiwo bloom in Kyuquot, British Columbia, 1996 (Photo courtesy of Nicky Haigh, Microthalassia Consultants Inc., Nanaimo, BC) References 1. LoCi ISSHAs Corner CHA 2021 Hybrid Conference, NEW DATE!! Dear ISSHA members and colleagues: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and following recommendations of the World Health Organization and National Health Authorities, the 19th International Conference on Harmful Algae has been postponed to October 10-15 HAN Subscription To subscribe to Harmful Algae News anyone can send a mail to sympa@sympa. iode.org with the subject subscribe han do not write any text at all in the mail message itself. The system will send back a mail to you with subject similar to auth 22d6dcd9 subscribe han and with instructio