Question

A sign on the beach states, "beach closed. red tide." the organisms interfering with your use of this beach are probably _____. a sign on the beach states, "beach closed. red tide." the organisms interfering with your use of this beach are probably _____. amoebas ciliates diatoms dinoflagellates species of red algae

Answer 1

The answer is “dinoflagellates”.

Dinoflagellates are a group single celled eukaryotes from the kingdom Protista. Dinoflagellates are often photosynthetic and can produce their own food by photosynthesis. Some dinoflagellates are parasitic. When there is a large number of dinoflagellates during the warmer seasons (also known as an “algal bloom”), the body of water will change into a rusty red color called red tide. Red tide occurs because dinoflagellates produce a neurotoxin called saxitoxin which manifests as paralysis. When humans eat affected fish, they will experience a non-specific syndrome with nausea and vomiting called ciguatera. On the other hand, when humans eat affected shellfish; then there will be paralysis, confusion, poor mental status, etc. and this is called paralytic shellfish poisoning.