''Lyngbya'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blu ...

unicellular A unicellular organism, also known as a single-celled organism, is an organism that consists of a single cell, unlike a multicellular organism that consists of multiple cells. Organisms fall into two general categories: prokaryotic organisms and ...

autotroph An autotroph or primary producer is an organism that produces complex organic compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) using carbon from simple substances such as carbon dioxide,Morris, J. et al. (2019). "Biology: How Life Works", ...

s that form the basis of the oceanic

food chain A food chain is a linear network of links in a food web starting from producer organisms (such as grass or algae which produce their own food via photosynthesis) and ending at an apex predator species (like grizzly bears or killer whales), det ...

. As a result of recent genetic analyses, several new genera were erected from this genus: ''e.g.'', ''

Moorea Moorea ( or ; Tahitian: ), also spelled Moorea, is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It is one of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the Society Islands, northwest of Tahiti. The name comes from the Tahitian word , meaning " ...

'', '' Limnoraphis'', '' Okeania'', '' Microseira'', and '' Dapis''. ''Lyngbya'' species form long, unbranching filaments inside a rigid

mucilaginous Mucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion. The direction of their movement is always opposite to that of the secretion of m ...

sheath. Sheaths may form tangles or mats, intermixed with other

phytoplankton Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems. The name comes from the Greek words (), meaning 'plant', and (), meaning 'wanderer' or 'drifter'. Ph ...

species. They

reproduce asexually Asexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that does not involve the fusion of gametes or change in the number of chromosomes. The offspring that arise by asexual reproduction from either unicellular or multicellular organisms inherit the fu ...

. Their filaments break apart and each cell forms a new filament. The mats grow around

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is dominated ...

es, or

fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

. Some ''Lyngbya'' species cause the human skin irritation called

seaweed dermatitis ''Lyngbya majuscula'' is a species of filamentous cyanobacteria in the genus ''Lyngbya''. It is named after the Dane Hans Christian Lyngbye. As a result of recent genetic analyses, several new genera were erected from the genus ''Lyngbya'': '' ...

. Some ''Lyngbya'' species can also temporarily monopolize aquatic ecosystems when they form dense, floating mats in the water. Ingestion of ''Lyngbya'' is potentially lethal. Most commonly, poisoning is caused by eating fish which have fed on ''Lyngbya'' or which have fed on other fish which have consumed ''Lyngbya''. This is called "

ciguatera Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), also known simply as ciguatera, is a foodborne illness caused by eating reef fish whose flesh is contaminated with certain toxins. Such individual fish are said to be ciguatoxic. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomi ...

-like" poisoning.

References

External links

''Lyngbya'' Agardh 1824.
Protist Information Server.

Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. University of Florida IFAS. * Cyanobacteria genera Oscillatoriales {{cyanobacteria-stub