Resumen del producto

This review presents a detailed analysis of the state of knowledge of physiological studies done in strains of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum, a paralytic toxin producer. In vitro studies of G. catenatum strains from different localities along the Pacific coast of Mexico show that this species can tolerate wide temperatures from11° to 33 °C, with optimal growth between 21° and 29 °C; a wide salinity range, from 25 to 40, with optimal growth between 28 and 38, and a wide range of N:P ratios from 5.4 to 74.3, with an optimal growth at a N:P ratio of 23.5. Variations in toxin cell quota and toxin composition have been related with latitudinal differences, culture media, growth rate, and temperature, but the presence of dcSTX, GTX 2-3, dcGTX2-3, C1, and C2 are usual components. Recently, benzoate type toxins have been described as an important component in the toxicity of G. catenatum cells of the Mexican Pacific. We can concluye that this species tolerates wide environmental conditions, which probably has allowed its distribution along the Mexican Pacific. Despite the toxicity of G. catenatum and its wide distribution, there has been low monitoring effort, and probably many events in the Mexican Pacific have gone unnoticed. In spite of being one of the most studied toxic dinoflagellate species in Mexico, there are still many research areas that have not been addressed, such as a finer monitoring design, definitions and quantification of physicalbiological cell interactions, interactions between species, cyst studies, diverse toxic effects on a wider number of taxa, toxin metabolism, among others.

Palabras clave: Gymnodinium catenatum; Mexican Pacific; paralytic toxin

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