Higher Classification: > Kingdom Chromista > Subkingdom Harosa > Infrakingdom Alveolata > Phylum Myzozoa > Subphylum Dinozoa > Infraphylum Dinoflagellata > Class Dinophyceae > Subclass Peridiniphycidae > Order Gonyaulacales > Family Pyrocystaceae > Subfamily Ostreopsidoideae > Genus Alexandrium

Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Paulsen) Balech & Tangen, 1985

Rank: Species
Taxon Status: accepted

Relationships towards this taxon

Genus group names

*Alexandrium*	Halim, 1960	accepted genus name
*Gessnerium*	Halim ex Halim, 1967	synonym
*Protogonyaulax*	F.J.R.Taylor, 1979	synonym

Species group names

*Goniodoma ostenfeldii*	Paulsen, 1904	basionym
*Gessnerium ostenfeldii*	(Paulsen) Loeblich & Loeblich III, 1979	synonym
*Goniaulux tamarensis var. globosa*	Braarud, 1945	synonym
*Gonyaulax dimorpha*	Biecheler, 1952	synonym
*Gonyaulax globosa*	(Braarud) Balech, 1971	synonym
*Gonyaulax tamarensis var. globosa*	Braarud, 1945	synonym
*Heteraulacus ostenfeldii*	(Paulsen) Loeblich III, 1970	synonym
*Pyrodinium phoneus*	Woloszynskia & Conrad, 1939	synonym
*Triadinium ostenfeldii*	(Paulsen) J.D.Dodge, 1981	synonym

Literature

basis of record	Gómez, F. (2005). A list of free-living dinoflagellate species in the world's oceans. Acta Bot. Croat. 64(1): 129-212.
additional source	Chang, F.H.; Charleston, W.A.G.; McKenna, P.B.; Clowes, C.D.; Wilson, G.J.; Broady, P.A. (2012). Phylum Myzozoa: dinoflagellates, perkinsids, ellobiopsids, sporozoans, in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2012). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 3. Kingdoms Bacteria, Protozoa, Chromista, Plantae, Fungi. pp. 175-216.
additional source	Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2025). AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. searched on YYYY-MM-DD.
additional source	Martin, J. L.; LeGresley, M. M. ; Strain, P. M. (2001). Phytoplankton monitoring in the Western Isles region of the Bay of Fundy during 1997-98. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2349. 4: 1-85.
additional source	Moestrup, Ø., Akselman, R., Cronberg, G., Elbraechter, M., Fraga, S., Halim, Y., Hansen, G., Hoppenrath, M., Larsen, J., Lundholm, N., Nguyen, L. N., Zingone, A. (Eds) (2009 onwards). IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Micro Algae.
additional source	Steidinger, K.A.; Tangen, K. (1997). Dinoflagellates. pp. 387-584. In: C.R. Tomas (ed.) (1997). Identifying Marine Phytoplankton. Academic Press: San Diego, CA [etc.] (USA). ISBN 0-12-693018-X. XV, 858 pp.
additional source	Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
additional source	Tahvanainen, P.; Alpermann, T. J.; Figueroa, R. I.; John, U.; Hakanen, P.; Nagai, S.; Blomster, J.; Kremp, A. (2012). Patterns of post-glacial genetic differentiation in marginal populations of a marine microalga. PLoS ONE. 7(12): e53602.
additional source	Horner, R. A. (2002). A taxonomic guide to some common marine phytoplankton. Biopress Ltd. Bristol. 1-195.
additional source	Tomas, C.R. (Ed.). (1997). Identifying marine phytoplankton. Academic Press: San Diego, CA [etc.] (USA). ISBN 0-12-693018-X. XV, 858 pp.
additional source	Brandt, S. (2001). Dinoflagellates, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 47-53
additional source	MacKenzie L., White D., Oshima Y. & Kapa J. 1996. The resting cyst and toxicity of Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Dinophyceae) in New Zealand. Phycologia 35: 148-155.
source of synonymy	Gómez, F. (2005). A list of free-living dinoflagellate species in the world's oceans. Acta Bot. Croat. 64(1): 129-212.
source of synonymy	Kremp, A.; Tahvanainen, P.; Litaker, W.; Krock, B.; Suikkanen, S.; Leaw, C. P.; Tomas, C. (2013). Phylogenetic relationships, morphological variation, and toxin patterns in the Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Dinophyceae) complex: implications for species boundaries and identities. Journal of Phycology. 50(1): 81-100.
new combination reference	Balech E.& Tangen K. 1985. Morphology and taxonomy of toxic species in the tamarensis group (Dinophyceae) Alexandrium excavatum (Braarud) comb. nov. and Alexandrium ostenfeldii(Paulsen) comb. nov. Sarsia 70: 333-343.
toxicology source	Cembella A.D., Lewis N.I. & Quilliam M.A. 2000. The marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Dinophyceae) as the causative organism of spirolide shellfish toxins. Phycologia 39: 67-74.
toxicology source	Hansen P.J., Cembella A.D. & Moestrup Ø. 1992. The marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii: paralytic shellfish toxin concentration, composition, and toxicity to a tintinnid ciliate. J. Phycol. 28: 597-603.
ecology source	Mitra, A.; Caron, D. A.; Faure, E.; Flynn, K. J.; Leles, S. G.; Hansen, P. J.; McManus, G. B.; Not, F.; Do Rosario Gomes, H.; Santoferrara, L. F.; Stoecker, D. K.; Tillmann, U. (2023). The Mixoplankton Database (MDB): Diversity of photo‐phago‐trophic plankton in form, function, and distribution across the global ocean. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 70(4).
ecology source	Tillmann, U.; Kremp, A.; Tahvanainen, P.; Krock, B. (2014). Characterization of spirolide producing Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Dinophyceae) from the western Arctic. Harmful Algae. 39: 259-270.
ecology source	Leles, S. G.; Mitra, A.; Flynn, K. J.; Tillmann, U.; Stoecker, D.; Jeong, H. J.; Burkholder, J.; Hansen, P. J.; Caron, D. A.; Glibert, P. M.; Hallegraeff, G.; Raven, J. A.; Sanders, R. W.; Zubkov, M. (2019). Sampling bias misrepresents the biogeographical significance of constitutive mixotrophs across global oceans. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 28(4): 418-428.
ecology source	Jacobson, D. M.; Anderson, D. M. (1996). Widespread Phagocytosis of Ciliates and Other Protists By Marine Mixotrophic and Heterotrophic Thecate Dinoflagellates. Journal of Phycology. 32(2): 279-285.

Genbank

Taxonomy

Published in AlgaeBase

Citation

Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2025). AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway (taxonomic information republished from AlgaeBase with permission of M.D. Guiry). Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Paulsen) Balech & Tangen, 1985. Via: Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvantidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2011) European Register of Marine Species, Accessed through PESI at http://www.eu-nomen.eu/portal/taxon.php?GUID=urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:109712