April Nimjareansuk
Assignment 3
Due: October 4, 2013
Prymnesiaceae parvum
A specific type of Golden algae is the Prymnesium parvum. It is in the family
Prymnesiaceae under the genus Prymnesium. Prymnesium are a division of algae known as
haptophytes. The specific species is P. parvum. It is found all over the world however if was first
discovered in North America, scientifically, in the Pecos River in 1985. It is normally found in
most marine bodies of water where salt is present. However, it has been found to be spreading
into rivers and water with less salt as well. In order for the species to grow, it needs the salt range
to be approximately 0.1 to 10%. Its optimum salinity range is considered to be about 0.3 to 6%.
The algae though, can grow at different ranges and scientists have found that the species that live
in different areas don’t all have the same range in order to grow in salt water. The optimum
temperature for the algae to grow is between about 2 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius and
tend to grow in a more basic pH environment. The algae typically live in environments that have
light.
Prymnesium parvum are single-celled and have flagella attached to it in order to move.
The algae also has a significant trait that it is known for. It contains toxins that can kill marine
life such as fish. The toxins that are produced by the algae are termed prymnesins. The toxins
that are produced damage a fish’s cells, especially in the gill area which typically lead to the
death of the aquatic animal. They are not however seen as harmful to humans or other animals.
The algae does not always produce the toxin though. They were tested a found to only produce
toxins under certain conditions that caused stress on them. If they were in an environment that
had limited resources to grow and survive, it would tend to produce toxins. There have also been
many reports of the algae killing off fish in North America.
Resources:
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR647.pdf