Kareniaceae | |
---|---|
Anatomy of Karenia brevis | |
Karenia brevis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | SAR |
Clade: | Alveolata |
Phylum: | Myzozoa |
Superclass: | Dinoflagellata |
Class: | Dinophyceae |
Order: | Gymnodiniales |
Family: | Kareniaceae |
Kareniaceae is an accepted marine family of relatively small, toxic, unarmored dinoflagellates belonging to the order Gymnodiniales.[1][2] Species in the Kareniaceae clade often cause harmful discolored green algea blooms (HABs) that pose a safety and health risk to humans (H. sapiens) and the surrounding regions. Such blooms also pose a risk to coastal aquaculture worldwide, especially in places like France, the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea.[3][4]
Species in this family produce neurotoxins like brevetoxins, which cause human shellfish poisoning (HSP), respiratory effects and mass fish death.[5]