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HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE PHYLUM DINOFLAGELLATA

HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE PHYLUM DINOFLAGELLATA (BÜTSCHLI 1885)

EUKARYA> CHROMALVEOLATA> ALVEOLATAE> DINOFLAGELLATA
DINOFLAGELLATA LINKS

Introduction

Synoptic Description

This system was taken from Dodge and Lee (2000), a modification of Fensome et al. (1993). We modified the system to include Oxyrrhis and Perkinsus as subphyla after Gomez et al. (2010).

SUBPHYLUM DINOPHYTINA

  • CLASS DINOPHYCEAE
    • Cells are usually free-living some are symbiotic and parasitic; the nucleus is large with many chromosomes; cells are uninucleate. Dinokaryon in all life stages. This class has 8 orders.
    • ORDER GYMNODINIALES
      • Cell appears naked; pellicle not cellulosic; distinct cingulum (girdle) and sulcus; chloroplasts in some; some with toxins; many parasitic.
      • Gymnodinium, Amphidinium, Cochlodinium, Gyrodinium, Katodinium, Torodinium, Woloszynskia, Polykrikos, Erythropsodinium, Nematodinium, Actiniscus.
    • ORDER PTYCHODISCALES
      • Organic pellicle (cellulose or dinosporin), which may be continuous or broken into a basket-like skeleton in motile cell.
      • Ptychodiscus, Karenia.
    • ORDER SUESSIALES
      • Vesicles arranged in 7-10 series in motile cell. Mainly live a coccoid symbionts of coelenterates, molluscs, and some foraminifera. Usually photosynthetic.
      • Symbiodinium, Endodinium, Zooxanthella.
    • ORDER GONYAUCALES
      • Armored motile cells, usually marine, some produce toxic red tides. The order is defined on the basis of tabulation, which makes the apical pore appear asymmetrical. There is great variation in this group, but motile cells are about evenly divided by the cingulum. Usually photosynthetic.
      • Cladopyxis, Micracanthodinium, Amphidoma, Palaeophalacroma, Gonyaulax, Amylax, Protoceratium, Peridinella, Ceratocorys, Ceratium, Triadinium (=Goniodoma), Helgolandinium, Alexandrium, Pyrophacus, Pyrodinium, Pyrocystis, Thecadinium, Heterodinium, Crypthecodinium.
    • ORDER PERIDINIALES
      • Armored motile cells. The order is based on particular tabulation in which the apical plates are arranged symmetrically, 2 antapical plates, 4 apical plates, others more variable. Pore, when present appears symmetrical. Motile cells are about evenly divided by the cingulum.Usually photosynthetic.
      • Heterocapsa, Peridinium, Scrippsiella, Pentapharsodinium, Protoperidinium, Diplosalis, Oblea, Diplopsalopsis, Podolampas, Blepharocysta, Oxytoxum, Amphidiniopsis.
    • ORDER DINOPHYSIALES
      • Flagella inserted at one side towards anterior end of cell; distinct transverse groove, bounded by broad flaps; hypotheca covered by 2 large thecal plates; chloroplasts usually present.
      • Dinophysis, Amphisolenia, Histoneis, Tripsolenia, Ornithocercus.
    • ORDER PROROCENTRALES
      • Flagella inserted apically; cell mainly covered by 2 large thecal plates; golden-brown chromoplasts mainly planktonic, some interstitial in sand.
      • Prorocentrum, Mesoporos.
    • ORDER PHYTODINIALES
      • Dominant form attached with gymnodinoid swarmer cells. Some with complex life histories that involve amoeboid stages.
      • Dinothrix, Stylodinium, Hemidinium (= Gloeodinium in nonmotile stage), Cystodinium, Cystodinedria, Tetradinium, Raciborskia.
    • ORDER BLASTODINES
      • Parasites on or in copepods and other animals; with complex life cycles. Some with chloroplasts; gymnodinoid swarmers, some with a wall. Dinokaryon only in part of the life history. This is a provisional class and may be polyphyletic.
      • Blastodinium, Amyloodinium, Crepidoodinium, Pfiesteria, Dissodinium, Actinodinium, Apodinium, Chyryodinium, Haplozoon, Oodinium, Parapodinium, Protoodinium, Cystodinedria.
  • CLASS NOCTILUCIPHYCEAE
    • “Naked” cells very large (> l mm), highly vacuolated; small tentacle; no chloroplasts; phagotrophic or saprobic; often bioluminescent. Gymnodinoid gametes with dinokaryons.
    • ORDER NOCTILUCALES
      • Noctiluca, Leptodiscus, Kofoidinium.
  • CLASS SYNDINIOPHYCEAE
    • All symbiotic or endoparasitic; no chloroplasts; nucleus large with few chromosomes; nulcei divide to form large plasmodia in host cells.
    • ORDER SYNDINIALES.
      • Syndinium, Amoebophrya, Duboscquella, Oxyrris, Coccidinium, Merodinium.

SUBPHYLUM OXYRRHIPHYTINA

  • This is a single species that seems to be a sister to the Dinophyceae. The cells are free-living with biflagellate cells that lack cingulum or sulcus. The flagella are inserted laterally and the cells have trichocysts.
    • Oxyrrhis.

SUBPHYLUM PERKINSIPHYTINA

  • Members of this group are parasitic with structures that are similar to the rhopteries, conoids, micronemes, and micropores. Perkinsus parasitizes oysters and Parvilucifera infects dinoflagellates.
    • Perkinsus, Parvilucifera.
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By Jack R. Holt. Last revised: 03/03/2014
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