#ciguatoxins — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ciguatoxins, aggregated by home.social.
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I wonder if #Gambierdiscus is the cause? They have been testing for #RedTide, but have they been testing for Gambierdiscus?
Disoriented pelican found on Marco Island may have red tide poisoning, experts say
By CNN
May 23, 2024A brown #pelican discovered on #MarcoIsland last week is presumed to have red tide poisoning, according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
"'Typically, we first get the notion that red tide is around when birds are sick,' said Dr. Michael Parsons, of the Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University.
"The seabird was spotted disoriented on the beach, according to a release. Despite those symptoms, which are common with the #neurotoxic algae, no red tide has been detected in our area, per the Florida Department of Health in Collier County.
"'We have no signs of red tide around, FWC is aware of this situation and will be monitoring it more closely,' Parsons said."
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WHOI: Harmful Algae: #Gambierdiscus
- Benthic dinoflagellate genus
- Over 18 defined species and several ribotypes identified
- Found globally in tropical and subtropical regions
- Produce #ciguatoxins, which may lead to:
• Human illness (Ciguatera Poisoning)
• Significant public health impacts
• Economic losses associated with health-related costs and lost productivity"Taxonomic studies have identified at least 18 species within the Gambierdiscus genus, many of which co-occur and differ significantly in toxicity. At least ten of these species have been found in tropical and subtropical regions of the U.S., including #Hawaii, the #GulfOfMexico, the #FloridaKeys, #PuertoRico, and the #USVirginIslands.
"Temperature is a key factor controlling CTX occurrence, and laboratory experiments investigating the influence of temperature on growth of various Gambierdiscus species have shown that most species exhibit maximum growth rates between 24–30°C, but that growth responses varied by species. For example, temperature tolerances vary among species, although all are sensitive to higher temperatures, with steep declines in growth as temperatures exceed ~31°C.
"Thus higher temperatures may favor growth of more thermally tolerant species in ciguatera endemic regions, and promote establishment of species shown to be less tolerant in subtropical and temperate regions. Warm surface temperatures may also favor increased abundance of Gambierdiscus populations in deeper waters.
"There is recent evidence of geographic range expansion of #Gambierdiscus and CP into higher latitudes in U.S. waters, associated with climate-driven warming. Over the past two decades CP and CTXs were reported for the first time in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and ephemeral populations of Gambierdiscus have also been documented in #NorthCarolina. Prolonged periods of elevated water temperatures at these locations and in northern Florida are hypothesized to result in increased Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa cell densities."
https://hab.whoi.edu/species/species-by-name/gambierdiscus/
#Extinction #ToxicAlgae
#Fish #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #WarmingOceans #WaterIsLife #WaterTemperatures