The potentially toxic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria from Antarctic saline lakes: taxonomy, life cycle and genetic affinities

Project aim

Pfiesteria is an unusual fish-killing dinoflagellate, best known from eutrophic North Carolina estuaries. Preliminary molecular evidence has demonstrated the presence of this organism in Ace Lake, Antarctica, which has no resident fish population. We seek to culture and characterise this novel Antarctic protist from several Vestfold Hills saline lakes and compare its morphotaxonomy, genetic affinities, life cycle and prey with that of North American and Australian isolates.