Ultrastructure of Gymnodinium aureolum (Dinophyceae):: Toward a further redefinition of Gymnodinium sensu stricto

Examination of the ultrastucture of the unarmored dinoflagellate Gymnodinium aureolum (Hulburt) G. Han en (syn: Gyrodinium aureolum Hulburt) revealed the presence of nuclear chambers, which are specialized differentiations of the nuclear envelope, similar to those described in the type species of Gymnodinium, G. fuscum (Ehrenberg) Stein and certain other Gymnodinium species. The nuclear pores were restricted to these chambers. In the flagellar apparatus a nuclear fibrous connective linked the longitudinal microtubular root and the nucleus. This structure had so far been observed only in Gymnodinium spp. and in the heterotrophic species Actiniscus Pentasterias (Ehrenberg) Ehrenberg, Nematodinium armatum (Dogiel) Kofoid et Swezy and Polykrikos kofoidii Chatton. Another unusual feature of G. aureolum was the presence of a striated fiber in the longitudinal flagellum, a feature previously only found in Ceratium furca (Ehrenberg) Claparede et Lachmann and C. tripos (O.F. Muller) Nitzsch. Gymnodinium aureolum also possessed a prominent ventral protrusion associated with the peduncle and containing electron opaque material. It is concluded that G. aureolum belongs to the Gymnodinium sensu stricto group. This may be a temporary classification, however, because G. aureolum and its allies differ from the type species G. fuscum by the presence of a transverse striated root, striated collars, trichocysts, and a peduncle.