Akashiwo

Akashiwo sanguinea is a species of marine dinoflagellates well known for forming blooms that result in red tides. It is the only species in the genus Akashiwo. The organism is unarmored (naked). Therefore, it lacks a thick cellulose wall, the theca, common in other genera of dinoflagellates. Reproduction of the phytoplankton species is primarily asexual.

Recently recognized as mixotrophic, A. sanguinea is capable of preying on various organisms. For example, A. sanguinea is found to be capable of ingesting the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. at values comparable to other heterotrophic phytoplankton. This suggests implications it may have on the grazing impact of Synechococcus.