Dinophysis acuta

Dinophysis acuta is a species of flagellated planktons belonging to the genus Dinophysis. It is one of the few unusual photosynthetic protists that acquire plastids from algae by endosymbiosis. By forming massive blooms, particularly in late summer and spring, it causes red tides. It produces toxic substances and the red tides cause widespread infection of seafood, particularly crabs and mussels. When infected animals are consumed, severe diarrhoea occurs. The clinical symptom is called diarrhetic shellfish poisoning....