Systematics of the Dinophyceae

这项为期四年的研究旨在收集和检查来自不同鞭毛类代表的外部形态学，细胞学和发育数据。鞭毛藻是一种非常奇特的生物，它们的细胞比大多数真核藻类和原生动物具有更多的变异。具体来说，我们建议通过对我们手头的数据、来自合作实验室的数据和我们打算获得的数据进行分支分析，用这些数据来测试鞭毛纲的传统系统概念。这些数据也将使我们能够检验目前和以前关于鞭毛纲和其他原生动物群的自然关系的观点。这一建议代表了第一个综合的方法来破译甲藻亲缘关系之一。拟议研究的另一个重要方面是调查仅在北美偏远的海洋和淡水地区发现的特殊鞭毛藻的性质，并将这些分类群与培养收集的分类群进行比较。

This four year study is designed to accumulate and examine external morphological, cytological, and developmental data from representatives of different dinoflagellate groups. The dinoflagellate algae are very peculiar organisms that possess several more variations in their cells than do the majority of eukaryotic algae and protozoa. Specifically, we propose to test traditional systematic concepts of the dinoflagellates with these data via cladistic analyses of the data we have at hand, those from collaborative laboratories, and those we propose to obtain. These data will also allow us to test current and previous opinion concerning the natural relationships of the dinoflagellates and the other protistan groups. This proposal represents one of the first integrative approaches toward deciphering the affinities of the dinoflagellates. Another important aspect of the proposed studies is to investigate the nature of peculiar dinoflagellates found only from remote marine and freshwater locations in North America and to compare these taxa with those from culture collections.