Taxonomy and ecology of parasitic chytrid on toxic marine plankton

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During the germination experiments of the cysts of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense, we found that the germinated cells were infected by a kind of parasitic fungus. Purpose of this study was to identify the fungus by examining the morphology and the development with light and electron microscopes. Ultrastructure of the zoospore and rDNA sequences indicate that the fungus belong to Chytridiales. Our finding is the first report of fungal parasitism on the toxic marine dinoflagellate and suggests that chytrid fungus may play an important role in marine environment as in freshwater system.