A living cell (DIC)
Life-form: Solitary
Size: Length 36-56 µm, width 40-45 µm.
Resting spore:
Note: This species is nonphotosynthetic. It can ingest ciliates (Hansen 1991)
Distinctive features:
Similar species: P. rudgei
Distribution: Worldwide
Literature:
Dodge, J. D. 1982. Marine Dinoflagellates of the British Isles. Her
Majesty's Stationery Office, London. 303 pp.
Hansen, P. J. 1991. Dinophysis - a planktonic dinoflagellate genus which can act both as prey and a predator of a ciliate. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 69: 201-204.
Hansen, G. & Larsen, J. 1992. Dinoflagellater i danske farvande. In: Thomsen, H. A. (ed.) Plankton i de indre danske farvande. Havforskning fra Miljøstyrelsen, Copenhagen, p. 45-155.
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.