RED TIDES:
 

A Look at One Causer and its Affected

 

Section I: Classification & Evolution

 

Jennifer King

July 24, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

After years of futile banter on whether one could actually die from eating shellfish (more specifically crab) exposed to or contaminated by dinoflagellates, my peaked interest has led me to study two warriors in this underwater battle – the crab and the dinoflagellate. 

 

The two organisms that are presented in this research are the Paralithodes camtschaticus and the Alexandrium catenella, otherwise known as the Alaskan king crab or Red king crab and the dinoflagellate, respectively. 

 

Alexandrium

catenella
 

Paralithodes

camtschaticus
 
                                                     

Text Box: Both the A. catenella and P. camtschaticus are cold-water dwellers, inhabiting the Pacific coast from California to Alaska, as well as the Atlantic coasts of Russia and Norway, the Aleutian Islands around Japan, and the Bering Sea. With emphasis on researching two organisms that not only share the same ecosystem, but also have a direct impact on one another’s lives, it must be noted that this specific type of dinoflagellate is a true neighbor to the king crab presented.  


GEOLOGICAL AGES

    Crustacea: Fossil records show that early forms of crustaceans evolved sometime in the Pre-Cambrian era (570 – 505 million years ago)

Ø    True/Edible Crab: It is believed that the true crab or edible crab (a general name that may be used for the Alaskan king crab presented in this research) evolved at the beginning of the Cretaceous era (144 – 110 million years ago)
 

 

 

 

 

 

    Dinoflagellata: Fossil records show that early forms of dinoflagellates evolved in both the Silurian era (439 – 409 million years ago) and the late-Triassic era (248 – 206 million years ago)

Ø    Alexandrium catenella: It is believed that this species of dinoflagellate evolved during the mid- to late-Cretaceous era (119 – 77 million years ago)
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


EXPLANATION OF TAXONOMY

When constructing the phylogenetic taxonomy of an organism, there are seven major categories or sections used: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species.

 


Please note that the phylogenetic tree presented on page 5 contains additional categories (subkingdom, subphylum, suborder, etc.) to provide a more detailed look at the evolutionary history of each organism

CRAB

  • KingdomaANIMALIA
    • The P. camtschaticus, like all animals, have multicellular bodies complete with nervous and muscle tissue that is held together by proteins
    • As with other animals, they must ingest pre-formed organic molecules
  • PhylumaARTHROPODA
    • Similar to other members in this phylum, the P. camtschaticus has a segmented body with a hard exoskeleton and jointed appendages
    • These hard exoskeletons are “relatively impermeable to water”, which is where crabs are found (Campbell 662)
  • SubphylumaCRUSTACEA / ClassaMALACOSTRACTA
    • The P. camtschaticus has antennae and multiple (19) appendages used for various tasks, including chewing mouthparts and multiple (3) sets of legs – similar characteristics in all Crustacea
  • OrderaDECAPODA
    • The P. camtschaticus and other decapods have a hard calcium carbonate shell on the dorsal side of the body that covers the cephalothorax
  • FamilyaLITHODIDAE
    • The main characteristic of the Lithodidae family is that they live in cold, marine waters – so does the P. camtschaticus
  • GenusaPARALITHODES
    • Para: beside or near; lithodes: rock-like = the P. camtschaticus who migrate to shallow waters and/or rocks to mate (not to mention that their bodies resemble a bumpy, red rock with legs)
  • speciesaCAMTSCHATICUS
    • camtschaticus: belonging to Kamchatka = A Russian peninsula by the Bering Sea where P. camtschaticus organisms are known to live

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Rounded Rectangular Callout: The male and female king crab seen here can be referred to as a “grasping pair” because this species of crab migrates to shallow waters to mate or “grasp”     [Red King Crab, Paralithodes camtshatica, gprkc14a.jpg=87KB]

 

 

 

DINOFLAGELLATE

  • KingdomaPROTISTA
    • The A. catenella, like other protists, are a planktonic organism containing paired flagella
    • As with other types of protists, they are photosynthetic
  • Subkingdom/CladeaALVEOLATA
    • Similar to other alveolates, the A. catenella body contains alveoli, the small membrane-bounded cavities under the surface of the cell
  • PhylumaDINOFLAGELLATA
    • Like other dinoflagellates, they are unicellular and responsible for creating “red tides”
  • ClassaDINOPHYCEAE
    • The A. catenella have channels on the cell surface for the storage of flagella; form resting cysts that can remain dormant for long periods of time; and are very tolerant to chemical and physical conditions – all characteristics of the Dinophyceae class
  • OrderaGONYAULACALES
    • All members of this order are photosynthesizers, including the A. catenella
  • FamilyaGONIODOMATACEAE
    • The members of the Goniodomataceae family are similar in that they all have an apical pore complex
  • GenusaALEXANDRIUM
    • The A. catenella, as with other members of the Alexandrium genus, are chain forming
  • speciesaCATENELLA
    • A. catenella was the first known species linked with PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning)
    • This particular species inhabits cold waters

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Rounded Rectangular Callout: A ventral view of a 2-chained A. catenella                                                                           Plate 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Works Cited

 

Bartleby.com.  “Kamchatka.”  The American Heritage Dictionary of the English             Language: 4th ed. (2000).  Abstract.  19 July 2003 <http://www.bartleby.com/61/ 79/K0007900.html>.

 

Campbell, Neil A., and Jane B. Reece.  Biology.  6th ed. San Francisco: Pearson             Custom, 2002.

 

Concise Britannica, The.  “King crab.” Yahoo! Reference.  Abstract.  19 July 2003   <http://education.yahoo.com/search/be?lb=t&p=url%3Ak/king_crab>.

 

“Crustacean.”  Encyclopedia Britannica Library.  Encyclopedia Britannica 2003 Ultimate         Reference Suite.  CD-ROM.  2003 ed. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 2003.

 

Identifying Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates: Alexandrium Catenella.  Eds. Faust, Maria A., and Rose A. Gulledge, 2002.  Smithsonian Institute.  19 July 2003             <http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/dinoflag/Taxa/Acatanella.htm>.

 

Integrated Taxonomic Information System.  Ed. ITIS.  25 Jun. 2001.  19 July 2003   <http://www.itis.usda.gov/index.html>.

 

Kodiak Laboratory.  “Red King Crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus.”  Alaska Fisheries       Science Center.  19 July 2003 <http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/race/media/photo_             gallery/invert_files/Red_king_crab.htm>.

 

Kuylenstierna, Mats, and Bengt Karlson.  “Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech           1992.”  Plankton Database: Dinoflagellates.  Eds. Mats Kuylenstierna and Bengt   Karlson.  15 Mar. 1999.  Goteborg U.  19 July 2003 <http://www.marbot.gu.se/ SSS/dinoflagellates/dino_frame.htm>.

 

Lehane, Leigh.  Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning: A Review.  19 July 2003             <http://www.affa.gov.au/corporate_docs/publications/pdf/animalplanthealth/chief_         vet/psp.pdf>.

 

Monterey Aquarium Research Institute, The.  Gonyaulax Taxonomy.  19 July 2003   <http://www.mbari.org/~conn/botany/dinos/alimon/taxonomy.htm>.

 

Rines, Jan.  “Alexandrium catenella (Whedon & Kofoid) Balech.”  Graphic.  East Sound            Pytoplankton. 1998.  15 July 2003 <http://thalassa.gso.uri.edu/ESphyto/list/taxa/ alexcate/alexcate.htm>.

 

Tree of Life Web Project, The.  Ed. David R. Maddison.  2001.  U. of Arizona.  19 July     2003 <http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html>.

 

John U., R. A. Fensome, and L. K. Medlin.  “The Application of a molecular clock based            on molecular sequences and the fossil record to explain biogeographic          distributions within the Alexandrium tamarense 'species complex' (dinophyceae).”  Molecular Biology and Evolution (2003).  Abstract.  15 July 2003             <http://www.awibremerhaven.de/Publications/Joh2003a_abstract.html>.

 

Waggoner, B., and B. R. Speer.  “Dinoflagellata: Fossil Record.”  Museum of             Paleontology.  U. of California, Berkeley.  19 July 2003             <http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/dinoflagfr.html>.