Canary Islands (NE Atlantic) as a biodiversity "hotspot" of Gambierdiscus: Implications for future trends of ciguatera in the area
In the present study the geographical distribution, abundance and composition of Gambierdiscus was described over a 600 km longitudinal scale in the Canary Islands. Samples for cell counts, isolation and identification of Gambierdiscus were obtained from five islands (El Hierro, Tenerife, Gran Canar...
| Autores: | , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión aceptada para publicación |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2017 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:digitalcsic_::d8736a23b853f44630c22dbef9b8909c |
| Acesso em linha: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/323857 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo Benthic dinoflagellates Medio Marino Canary Islands Ciguatera Gambierdiscus LSUrRNA SSUrRNA fish ciguatera biodiversity islands |
| Resumo: | In the present study the geographical distribution, abundance and composition of Gambierdiscus was described over a 600 km longitudinal scale in the Canary Islands. Samples for cell counts, isolation and identification of Gambierdiscus were obtained from five islands (El Hierro, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote). Average densities of Gambierdiscus spp. between 0 and 2200 cells g−1 blot dry weight of macrophyte were recorded. Morphological (light microscopy and SEM techniques) and molecular analyses (LSU and SSU rDNA sequencing of cultures and single cells from the field) of Gambierdiscus was performed. Five Gambierdiscus species (G. australes, G. caribaeus, G. carolinianus, G. excentricus and G. silvae), together with a new putative species (Gambierdiscus ribotype 3) were identified. These results suggest that some cases of CFP in the region could be associated with the accumulation of ciguatoxins in the marine food web acquired from local populations of Gambierdiscus. This unexpected high diversity of Gambierdiscus species in an area which a priori is not under risk of ciguatera, hints at an ancient settlement of Gambierdiscus populations, likely favored by warmer climate conditions in the Miocene Epoch (when oldest current Canary Islands were created), in contrast with cooler present ones. Currently, warming trends associated with climate change could contribute to extend favorable environmental conditions in the area for Gambierdiscus growth especially during winter months. |
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