''Alexandrium fundyense'' is a species of dinoflagellates. It produces toxins that induce

paralytic shellfish poisoning Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is one of the four recognized syndromes of shellfish poisoning, which share some common features and are primarily associated with bivalve mollusks (such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops). These shellfi ...

(PSP), and is a common cause of

red tide A harmful algal bloom (HAB) (or excessive algae growth) is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural algae-produced toxins, mechanical damage to other organisms, or by other means. HABs are sometimes ...

. ''A. fundyense'' regularly forms massive blooms along the northeastern coasts of the United States and Canada, resulting in enormous economic losses and public health concerns. Enzyme electrophoretic data and RNA genetic analysis show ''Alexandrium fundyense'' and ''A. tamarense'' to be closely related, while mating compatibilities even suggest them to be varieties of a single heterothallic species. Recent molecular work shows that this species belongs to the ''Alexandrium tamarense'' complex (Atama complex, including ''A. tamarense'', ''Alexandrium fundyense, Alexandrium catenella'') and that none of the three original morphospecies designations forms monophyletic groups in the present SSUbased and previous LSU-based phylogenetic trees, i.e. these species designations are invalid. This currently needs further investigation. Formation of

dinocysts Dinocysts or dinoflagellate cysts are typically 15 to 100 µm in diameter and produced by around 15–20% of living dinoflagellates as a dormant, zygotic stage of their lifecycle, which can accumulate in the sediments as microfossils. Organic- ...

was observed in grazing experiments with oysters. The cyst dynamics of this species have been studied in the Gulf of Maine. Genetic studies of bloom development of this species show rapid selection occurring at a timescale of a few weeks.

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