Dinoflagellates

Dinoflagellates are a large group of single-celled aquatic organisms, and are among the most common organisms found in the world’s oceans. They range in size from less than one micron to about one millimeter. Dinoflagellates have several important roles in aquatic ecosystems, including serving as a major food source for many organisms and producing varying amounts of toxins that can contaminate shellfish and cause harmful algal blooms. In addition, they are also useful as indicators of environmental change as they react quickly to changes in environmental conditions. Finally, they also serve as model organisms in scientific research, including studies of evolutionary biology and cellular biology.