Proliferation of Amphidinium carterae (Gymnodiniales: Gymnodiniaceae) in Bahía de La Paz, Gulf of California

Abstract

During a sampling on 15 December 2011 in Bahía de La Paz, a bloom of the benthic dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae was detected. Its abundance ranged from 28.2 to 64.8 × 103 cells L–1. Cells of A. carterae varied in length from 18 to 28 μm and 13 to 18 μm in wide (n = 30). The presence of A. carterae and benthic species of diatoms and dinoflagellates at the surface could be an indicator of upwelling water generated by northwestern winds. Seawater temperature during the bloom was 20 °C. Also, new records of dinoflagellates for the Mexican coast of the Pacific are here reported: Amphidiniopsis hirsuta, Amphidiniopsis sp., Amylax buxus, Cochlodinium pulchellum, Cochlodinium virescens, Durinskia cf. baltica, Gyrodinium sp., Thecadinium sp., and Prorocentrum minimum var. triangulatum.