Ceratium

Ceratium sp., Japan

Ceratium is a genus of dinoflagellates from the order Gonyaulacales. The large single-celled organisms live in salt and fresh water.

Features

The cells are large. The tip of the episome is greatly increased, or even formed into a Apikalhorn which has two or more Hyposom Antapikalhörner on. The cingulate is more or less in the middle.

Ceratium species have yellow-brown chloroplasts. In meeresbewohnenden types Anisogamie occurs with zygotic nucleus phase change. Vegetative they multiply by an oblique longitudinal division, in which the armor is blown obliquely to the sulcus and supplemented by the cells then again.

Occurrence

Ceratium are exclusively aquatic organisms occurring that occur in freshwater and saltwater. In large amounts, they can be the trigger of a so-called red tide, where they color the water brown. Some species are capable of bioluminescence.

Types (selection)

• Ceratium compressum
• Ceratium divaricatum
• Ceratium furca
• Ceratium fusus
• Ceratium hirundinella
• Ceratium horridum

Evidence