Diversity and abundance of potentially toxic pseudo-nitzschia peragallo in Aveiro coastal lagoon, Portugal and description of a new variety, p-pungens var. aveirensis var. nov.

Abstract

The syndrome Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) results From ingesting sea food contaminated by a neurotoxin, domoic acid. Diatoms of the genera Pseudo-nitzschia and Nitzschia are responsible for the production of this toxin. A total of eleven species of Pseudo-nitzschia were identified during two plankton surveys at the entrance and in the southern channels of Ria de Aveiro, the largest lagoon on the west coast of Portugal. During the first survey, conducted from February to October 2000, the following species were identified: P. australis, P. cuspidata, P. delicatissima, P. dolorosa, P. fraudulenta, P. pseudodelicatissima, P. subpacifica and a new variety of P. pungens. The second survey took place from September 2003 to April 2004, except for a break between December 2003-January 2004, along with one complementary sample taken in October 2004; it revealed three additional species, P. americana, P. calliantha and P. multistriata. In contrast, P. cuspidata, P. dolorosa and P. subpacifica were not found during the second survey. Five species: P. subpacifica, P. americana, P. calliantha, P. multistriata and P. cuspidata were reported for the First time in Portuguese waters. Overall, P australis, P. pseudodelicatissima and a new variety of P. pungens were the most common species, the latter being present in all samples except October 2000. The highest concentrations of Pseudo-nitzschia cells registered were 90,000 cells L(-1) in August 2000 and 106,000 cells L-1 in March 2004, with P. australis accounting for 65-75% of the cells. Cell concentrations were highest near the entrance of the lagoon and decreased along with salinity in the channels. Cultures of P. australis, P. americana, P. fraudulenta, P. multistriata and a new variety of P. pungens were established and tested for the production of domoic acid, but the results were negative. Morphological differences were found between Our strains of P. pungens and two other previously described varieties of P. pungens regarding valve width, densities of striae, fibulae, poroids and band striae as well as differences in the morphology of the band striae. These differences were supported by phylogenetic analyses of ITS rDNA sequences, existence of a compensatory base change and mating studies indicate the presence of a separate taxon, which was described as a new variety, P. pungens var. aveirensis var. nov.