Search results for "Noctilucales"

A quantitative review of the lifestyle, habitat and trophic diversity of dinoflagellates (Dinoflagellata, Alveolata)

2012

This study reviews the trends in the lifestyle, habitat distribution and trophic diversity of the 2377 described species of dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae). Most of the dinoflagellates inhabit marine waters, whereas 17% of the total species have colonized continental waters. Dinoflagellates are dominated by planktonic species, while benthic forms represented 8% of the species. From the total number of species, 49% are heterotrophic (devoid of plastids), while 51% of the species have been reported with plastids (that does not strictly imply autotrophy). All the basal dinoflagellates (ellobiopsids, Duboscquodinida, Syndiniales) are heterotrophic, with the exception of a few Noctilucales (Spatul…