A = Ventral view with apical groove (=arrow); B = Dorsal view, chloroplasts with pyrenoids; C = Ventral view, ellipsoidal nucleus (DIC)
Life-form: Solitary
Size: Length 18-37 µm, width 14-35 µm.
Resting spore:
Note: Toxic and a red-tide causing organism. Often referred to Gyrodinium aureolum in european waters
Distinctive features: The cells flattened dorso-ventrally, nucleus ellipsoidal and on the left side, chloroplasts with pyrenoids
Similar species: Gyrodinium aureolum
Distribution: Worldwide
Literature:
Partensky, F., Vaulot, D. Couté, A. & Sournia, A. 1988.
Morphological and nuclear analysis of the bloom-forming
dinoflagellates Gyrodinium cf. aureolum and
Gymnodinium nagasakiense. J. Phycol. 24: 408-415.
Steidinger, K. A. & Tangen, K. 1996. Dinoflagellates. In: Tomas, C. R. (ed.) Identifying marine diatoms and dinoflagellates. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, p. 387-584.
Takayama, H. 1990. Dinoflagellates. In "Red tide organisms in Japan-An illustrated taxonomic guide". (Y. Fukuyo, H. Takano, M. Chihara & K. Matsuoka eds)Uchida Rokakuho, Tokyo. P. 48-49
Takayama, H. Matsuoka, K. & Fukuyo, Y. 1998. A taxonomic study on Gyrodinium aureolum Hulburt (Dinophyceae) from the morphological viewpoint based on materials collected in Japanese coastal waters. Bull. Plankton Soc. Japan. 45: 9-19.