Ecological and Physiological Studies of Gymnodinium catenatum in the Mexican Pacific A Review.docVIP

Mar. Drugs 2010, 8, 1935-1961; doi:10.3390/md8061935 OPEN ACCESS Marine Drugs ISSN 1660-3397 /journal/marinedrugs Review Ecological and Physiological Studies of Gymnodinium catenatum in the Mexican Pacific: A Review Christine J. Band-Schmidt 1,*, José J. Bustillos-Guzmán 2, David J. López-Cortés 2, Ismael Gárate-Lizárraga 1, Erick J. Nú?ez-Vázquez 2 and Francisco E. Hernández-Sandoval 1,2 1 Departamento de Plancton y Ecología Marina, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, A. P. 592, La Paz, B.C.S. 23000, México; E-Mail: igarate@ipn.mx (I.G.-L.) 2 Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, A. P. 128, La Paz, B.C.S. 23000, México; E-Mails: jose04@cibnor.mx (J.J.B.-G.); dlopez04@cibnor.mx (D.J.L.-C.); enunez04@cibnor.mx (E.J.N.-V.); fhernan04@cibnor.mx (F.E.H.-S.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: cbands@ipn.mx; Tel.: +52-612-122-5344; Fax: +52-612-122-5322. Received: 17 May 2010; in revised form: 3 June 2010 / Accepted: 10 June 2010 / Published: 23 June 2010 Abstract: This review presents a detailed analysis of the state of knowledge of studies done in Mexico related to the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum, a paralytic toxin producer. This species was first reported in the Gulf of California in 1939; since then most studies in Mexico have focused on local blooms and seasonal variations. G. catenatum is most abundant during March and April, usually associated with water temperatures between 18 and 25 oC and an increase in nutrients. In vitro studies of G. catenatum strains from different bays along the Pacific coast of Mexico show that this species can grow in wide ranges of salinities, temperatures, and N:P ratios. Latitudinal differences are observed in the toxicity and toxin profile, but the presence of dcSTX, dcGTX2-3, C1, and C2 are usual components. A common characteristic of the toxin profile found in shellfish, when