Planktonic dinoflagellates of the northern Levantine Basin, northeastern Mediterranean Sea


Polat S., Koray T.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY, vol.43, no.3, pp.193-204, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 43 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.ejop.2007.03.003
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.193-204
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In the present study, a checklist of planktonic dinofiagellates was prepared from studies conducted on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey and by evaluating previously conducted studies. The sampling areas included iskenderun Bay, the coast near Karatas at the west end of the Bay, and Babadillimani Bight, situated at the west of Mersin Bay, and its surroundings. The data of the present study derives from over 90 locations visited between 1994 and 2004. A total of 174 taxa were reported. Ceratium (57 taxa) and Protoperidinium (28 taxa) were the most species-rich genera. The most common taxa were Ceratium kofoidii, Ceratium trichoceros, Ceratium tripos var. atlanticum, Protoperidinium divergens, Protoperidinium steinii, Ceratocorys horrida, Goniodoma acuminatum and Gonyaulax polygramma. Toxic species such as Dinophysis caudata, Dinophysis tripos were reported, and Scrippsiella trochoidea and Prorocentrum micans, which are known as red tide species elsewhere, were also common. The number of species is similar to those along other coasts of the Levantine Basin. However, some species were observed that had not previously been reported for the Levantine Basin, which can be attributed to the fact that the number of studies conducted in the region has increased and that new species may have entered the environment. (c) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.