{"id":158,"date":"2016-05-24T19:16:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T02:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/vms-spring\/?p=158"},"modified":"2016-06-05T13:40:51","modified_gmt":"2016-06-05T20:40:51","slug":"protoperidinium-crassipes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/vms-spring\/protoperidinium-crassipes\/","title":{"rendered":"Protoperidinium crassipes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Protoperidinium<\/span>\u00a0c<\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

By: Barent Vroman<\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Protoperidinium<\/span> is a very diverse genus that is found all over the world. Even though there’s a very broad field of organisms, it was very difficult to find abundant information on these organism, so to help narrow down and obtain more precise inform I chose to do a specific species on these organisms. The species of <\/span>protoperidinium<\/span> I chose to base the information I found on these organisms are the <\/span>Protoperidinium<\/span>\u00a0c<\/em><\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Radius:

Radius: 22 \u03bc Height: 36 \u03bc<\/p><\/div>\n

Protoperidinium<\/span>\u00a0c<\/em><\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em> are marine <\/span>dinoflagellate<\/span> that appear<\/span> as a teardrop shaped with an apical horn on the top with two cones on the lateral side. They have a radius of 20 to <\/span>25 \u03bcm<\/span> and a height \u00a0from 32 to 45\u00a0\u03bcm <\/span>(<\/span>Helinski<\/span> 2006). These P. c<\/em><\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em> are found in many waters that range from the North Atlantic oceans, the North West Atlantic, The Gulf of Mexico and etc. These <\/span>proptoperinidiums<\/span> can be found at max depths of 470 meters all the way up to the upper layers of bodies of water<\/span>.(<\/span>Guiry<\/span> 2013) From observing <\/span>protoperidinium<\/span> they tend to move with their two cone shape legs and gyrate them to move around nutrient they want to digest shown in the animation. These organisms have a special feeding mechanism where they envelop their prey within a pseudo pod known as the <\/span>pallium<\/span> allowing it to consume prey that is even the same size as <\/span>itself(<\/span>Gribble 2007). The digestion occurs outside of the body acting as stomach and consuming it as a whole. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Protoperidinium<\/span>\u00a0c<\/em><\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em> are known to have a toxic effect on their habitat around them because of the certain nutrients they absorb. <\/span>These<\/span> phytoplankton were until recently bel<\/span>ieved to have been producers of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>azaspiracid<\/span> which can cause ADP neuro-toxic effects on humans but recent discoveries have shown that they are more of a transporter for this toxin. They transfer this toxin through them due to their consumption of a<\/span>zadinium<\/span> becoming a conduit to these harmful toxins to the other organisms around <\/span>them<\/span>.(<\/span>Guiry<\/span> 2013) \u00a0Since these\u00a0<\/span>dinoflagellates<\/span> are huge basis of the beginning of the food chain network these toxins can affect a whole ecosystem around them. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"P.

P. crassipes in their environment.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Since these <\/span>dinoflagellates<\/span>\u00a0absorb these toxic nutrients from their environment it has major impacts on the ecosystem in a negative way. They have been linked to \u00a0because of their incorporation azadinium which produces the toxin AZP commonly known as shellfish <\/span>poisoning(<\/span>Gribel<\/span> 2007). Due to their production of AZP they start<\/span>\u00a0acting as a transport of these toxins when they take place in the natural food cycle because they are commonly consumed from shellfish becoming potent with AZP \u00a0carrying\u00a0<\/span>these toxin<\/span> just as their prey before them. The reason why this is such a big issue is because in areas where local fisheries and harvest harbors are located can be lead to close down if touched with the toxins and can lead to a huge economic impacts stopping the inflow of <\/span>money<\/span>,jobs<\/span>, and impact public health.(Gribble 2007) Aquaculture is a huge part of society allowing like said earlier jobs, economic growth, and a food source. So why aren\u2019t these critically important phytoplankton studied more if they have such a huge impact on aquaculture and our economy? It is because our society has a bad habit where if don’t see it with our own eyes we tend to forget that there is life outside of our realms of vision until it starts to effect you.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"proto

P. crassipes and their economic potential.<\/p><\/div>\n

We should pay special attention to these organisms because even though they are so small and tiny they can have such a big impact on our environment. They are a key part of the microbial food chain and have a major impact on our economies aquaculture. Investing more time in studying <\/span>Protoperidinium<\/span> could give us huge understanding on the toxins in our environment while allowing for our economy to prosper and maintaining public health. \u00a0We as a society tend to forget that what we can’t see can still have a huge impact on us, so we tend to study the big and magnificent and devote time and money on research on things that are easily seen and noticeable. Art is a great medium for us <\/span>to<\/span> express and show the phytoplankton\u00a0<\/span>to the world, to show them off and let people know how important these small organisms can be. Little things tend to be the start of something huge, and in this situation the <\/span>P.<\/span>\u00a0c<\/em><\/span>rassipes<\/span><\/em> is a perfect example.<\/span><\/p>\n