By Name
IOC UNESCO Taxonomic Reference ListThis comprehensive list of harmful micro algae prepared by the IOC Harmful Algal Programme may also be of interest: http://www.marinespecies.org/hab/
Please refer to the EPA's CyanoHAB website for information on freshwater taxa: https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/cyanohabs.
Causative Organism | Toxin/Bioactive Compound | Human Health Effects and/or Syndrome | Impacts to wildlife and/or domestic animals | Ecosystem Disruption Impacts | Economic Impacts | Impacted Areas in U.S. |
Akashiwo sanguineum | Surfactants | Suspected respiratory irritant | Migratory bird deaths, including protected species | Water discoloration; Foam formation | Rehabilitation of protected bird species | Pacific Coast |
Alexandrium monilatum |
Goniodomin | Fish and shellfish mortality | Water discoloration | Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast up to New Jersey | ||
Alexandrium*; Gymnodinium*; Pyrodinium bahamense | Saxitoxins | Respiratory paralysis, death (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning or PSP) | Marine mammal deaths | Loss of shellfish harvesting income; human illness from recreational harvest; closure recreational puffer fish harvest in FL | Pacific coast, including Alaska; NE Atlantic coast; Florida |
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Aureococcus anophagefferens --Long Island Brown Tide | Not characterized | Water discoloration; seagrass and shellfish die-offs; hypoxic zones | Loss of shellfish harvesting income; interference with restoration | Mid-Atlantic coast | ||
Aureoumbra lagunensis --Texas Brown Tide |
Not characterized: extracellular polymeric substance (EPS); possibly other uncharacterized compounds |
Water discoloration; Loss of submerged aquatic vegetation | Texas, Florida | |||
Cochlodinium |
Reactive oxygen species (ROS); possibly other uncharacterized compounds | Fish kills | Water discoloration | Severe impacts on fish and shellfish maricultrue in Asia | West Coast, Mid-Atlantic | |
Dinophysis; Prorocentrum* | Okadaic acid; Dinophysotoxins | Gastrointestinal distress (Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning or DSP) | Closing of shellfish fisheries | Oregon, Texas, Washington, Long Island Sound; Cape Cod, MA | ||
Gambierdiscus* | Ciguatoxins | Sensory and gastrointestin al dysfunction (Ciguatera Fish Poisoning or CFP) | Unknown; Possible impacts to monk seals | Bans on fish sales from affected areas, cost of medical treatment, loss of protein source | Florida, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Pacific, and Caribbean | |
Heterosigma akashiwo | Ichthyotoxins | Fish kills | Water discoloration | Loss of fish net pen mariculture | Washington; Mid-Atlantic coast | |
Karenia | Brevetoxins | Neurotoxicity; Gastrointestinal and sensory effects (Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning or NSP), respiratory effects | Fish kills; manatee, dolphin, marine turtle, and bird deaths | Water discoloration | Loss of tourism income; Removal of dead fish from beaches, shellfisheries closing, increased emergency room visits due to respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, wildlife rehabilitation | Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast up to Delaware |
Karlodinium | Karlotoxins | Fish kills | Water discoloration | Atlantic and Gulf Coasts | ||
Macroalgae | H2S, dopamine | Respiratory impacts | Impair nesting protected species | Shade submerged aquatic vegetation, overgrow coral reefs, cause hypoxia | Removal from beaches; loss of tourism income | All coasts |
Marine cyanobacteria (formerly Lyngbya) | Dermatotoxins | Impact divers on coral reefs | Overgrow coral reefs | Loss of tourism income | South Florida | |
Other Raphidophytes: Chattonella, Fibrocapsa | Ichthyotoxins; Brevetoxins | Fish kills |
Water discoloration | Mid-Atlantic coast | ||
Prorocentrum minimum--Mahogany Tides | Not characterized | Mortality of spat in shellfish hatcheries | Water discoloration | Loss to shellfish hatcheries | Chesapeake Bay | |
Pseudo-nitzschia | Domoic Acid | Gastrointestinal and central nervous system effects (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning or ASP) | Sea bird and marine mammal mortality | Closure of shellfish harvesting, loss of tourism income, wildlife rehabilitation | West Coast, Florida, Maine |
Last updated: July 28, 2016