Lyngbya Explained

Lyngbya is a genus of cyanobacteria, unicellular autotrophs that form the basis of the oceanic food chain.

As a result of recent genetic analyses, several new genera were erected from this genus: e.g., Moorea,[1] Limnoraphis,[2] Okeania,[3] Microseira,[4] and Dapis.[5]

Lyngbya species form long, unbranching filaments inside a rigid mucilaginous sheath. Sheaths may form tangles or mats, intermixed with other phytoplankton species. They reproduce asexually. Their filaments break apart and each cell forms a new filament.[6] The mats grow around atolls, salt marshes, or fresh water.[7]

Some Lyngbya species cause the human skin irritation called seaweed dermatitis.[8]

Some Lyngbya species can also temporarily monopolize aquatic ecosystems when they form dense, floating mats in the water.

Ingestion of Lyngbya is potentially lethal.[7] Most commonly, poisoning is caused by eating fish which have fed on Lyngbya or which have fed on other fish which have consumed Lyngbya.[7] This is called "ciguatera-like" poisoning.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Engene. N.. Rottacker. E. C.. Kastovsky. J.. Byrum. T.. Choi. H.. Ellisman. M. H.. Komarek. J.. Gerwick. W. H.. Moorea producens gen. nov., sp. nov. and Moorea bouillonii comb. nov., tropical marine cyanobacteria rich in bioactive secondary metabolites. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol.. 62. Pt 5. 2011. 1171–1178. 10.1099/ijs.0.033761-0. 21724952. 3542135.
  2. Komarek. Jiri. Zapomelova. Eliska. Smarda. Jan. Kopecky. Jiri. Rejmankova. Eliska. Woodhouse. Jason. Neilan. Brett A.. Komarkova. Jaroslava. Polyphasic evaluation of Limnoraphis robusta, a water-bloom forming cyanobacterium from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, with a description of Limnoraphis gen. nov.. Fottea. 13. 1. 2013. 39–52. 10.5507/fot.2013.004. free.
  3. Engene. Niclas. Paul. Valerie J.. Byrum. Tara. Gerwick. William H.. Thor. Andrea. Ellisman. Mark H.. De Clerck. O.. Five chemically rich species of tropical marine cyanobacteria of the genus Okeania gen. nov. (Oscillatoriales, Cyanoprokaryota). J. Phycol.. 49. 6. 2013. 1095–1106. 27007630 . 10.1111/jpy.12115. 35379310.
  4. McGregor. Glenn B.. Sendall. Barbara C.. Lindell. D.. Phylogeny and toxicology of Lyngbya wollei(Cyanobacteria, Oscillatoriales) from north-eastern Australia, with a description of Microseira gen. nov.. J. Phycol.. 51. 1. 2015. 109–119. 10.1111/jpy.12256. 26986262. 206147172.
  5. Engene. Niclas. Tronholm. Ana. Paul. Valerie J.. De Clerck. O.. Uncovering cryptic diversity of Lyngbya: the new tropical marine cyanobacterial genus Dapis (Oscillatoriales). J. Phycol.. 54. 4. 2018. 435–446. 10.1111/jpy.12752. 29791035. free.
  6. http://fmp.conncoll.edu/Silicasecchidisk/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/Lyngbya_Main.html Lyngbya, Cyanobacteria, ALGAL-ED, Freshwater Ecology Laboratory, Connecticut College
  7. Book: Turner. Nancy J.. von Aderkas. Patrick. The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms. 2009. Timber Press. Portland, OR. 9780881929294. 115–6. English. 3: Poisonous Plants of Wild Areas. 747112294.
  8. Web site: Seaweed dermatitis . New Zealand Dermatological Society . 2007-02-24.

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