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Mystery Plankton Archive

September 2007

Congratulations to John Dismukes, a Dauphin Island Sea Lab Volunteer, from Alabama who won the September Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Prorocentrum gracile
Belongs to the Order Prorocentrales and Family Prorocentraceae. Prorocentrum gracile is a small to medium-sized dinoflagellate that is elongated, with a Prorocentrum micans-like form. It is pyrifrom (pear-shaped) in shape with a pointed posterior end (in valve view). Principally neritic and estuarine; cosmopolitan in cold temperate to tropical waters. (Tomas, C 1997)

This SEM micrograph is from a Prorocentrum bloom in the Persian Gulf and was sent to us by Dr. Rajan, from the United Arab Emirates.

June/July 2007

Congratulations to Jeff Ignatoff and Roy Smith, UGA Marine Extension Service Volunteers, from Georgia who won the June/July Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Ceratium trichoceros
Most common answer: Ceratium longipes

Belongs to the Order Gonyaulacales and Family Ceratiaceae. Ceratium trichoceros is a large, delicate dinoflagellate with characteristic horn development. Apical and hypothecal horns in parallel plane. Coastal and oceanic. Cosmopolitan in warm temperate to tropical waters; worldwide distribution. (Tomas, C 1997)

June 2007

Thank you for your recent submission to the June Mystery Plankton Contest.

The mystery phytoplankter was......Corethron

There are only two species of this spiny diatom and they range in size from 20-150 µm. This Corethron micrograph, taken by a scanning electron microscope, is from a Skidaway River bloom sample sent to us by the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium. Take note of the barbed spines that can become entangled in the gills of fish and lead to fish kills. Corethron is considered a potentially harmful algae due to these barbed spines.

All correct entries were placed into a bucket and the winner was drawn by PMN staff. The lucky winner was Amanda Leister with Myrtle Beach State Park.

March 2007

The mystery phytoplankter was......Protoperidinium

Belongs to the Family Protoperidininiaceae. More than 250 spp. Most species without chloroplasts; heterotrophic. (Tomas, C 1997)

All correct entries were placed into a hat and the winner was drawn by PMN staff. The lucky winner was Jennifer Garrish, a teacher at Ocracoke School in North Carolina.

February 2007

Congratulations to Patrick Hutchins, a student at Coastal Carolina University, who won the February Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Bacteriastrium

Belongs to the Family Chaetocerotaceae (along with Chaetoceros). Exclusively marine and planktonic. (Tomas, C 1997)

January 2007

Congratulations to Amanda Leister of Myrtle Beach State Park who won the January Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Odontella

December 2006

Congratulations to Amanda Leister of Myrtle Beach State Park who won the December Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Gambierdiscus toxicus.

A dinoflagellate found in the coastal waters off the Gulf of Mexico and Carribean as well as in other tropical and subtropical coral reef regions worldwide. Produces ciguatoxin that causes ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). CFP can affect people who eat contaminated fish.

November 2006

A few tried, but no one was able to correctly identify the November Mystery Plankton.

Correct answer: Pseudo-nitzschia australis.

Apical axis 75-144 microns. 2 rows of large porioids. In chains, one fourth of cell length overlap (Tomas, C 1997).

October 2006

Congratulations to Amanda Leister of Myrtle Beach State Park who won the October Mystery Plankton contest!

Correct answer: Ceratocorys horrida - Armored. Winged hypothecal spines with distal barbs. Chloroplasts present. Oceanic, neritic; warm temperate to tropical waters; worldwide distribution. (Tomas, C 1997).

August/September 2006

A few people tried, but no one was able to correctly identify PMN's first Mystery Phytoplankter. Thanks to all who tried, better luck next time!

Most common answer: Dinophysis

Correct answer: Ornithocercus magnificus - Extensive sulcal and cingular list and rib systems that characterize the species. Lacks chloroplasts. (Tomas, C 1997)