IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Microalgae

- a product of the IOC Harmful Algal Bloom Programme and the World Register of Marine Species .

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Introduction | History | Citation | Editors

Problems pertaining to harmful microalgae are being worked on and discussed by many categories of researchers: ecologists, taxonomists, toxicologists, by persons involved in monitoring the environments for harmful effect of toxic algae, by politicians, journalists, etc. It is a source of confusion that the scientific ('Latin') names of the algae sometimes change when the organisms become available for more detailed studies due to improved methodology or after establishment of the organisms in pure cultures, and such changes may give rise to misunderstandings.

This site has the following aims:

The main catalogue currently contains detailed information on species known to produce toxins or exhibit toxic effects, as well as on a few species suspected of toxin production. Note that a toxigenic species may not produce toxins in all locations where it occurs.

The main catalogue does not include species that cause harm unrelated to toxin production. A list of species that harm marine life through biomass accumulation, mucus production, or morphology (e.g. spines) — potentially representing a large number of species — is provided in a separate section of this website, under the header “Harmful non-toxic”.

All names and data on toxigenic species are based on WoRMS-verified names (see www.marinespecies.org).

To provide sufficient expert knowledge for maintaining the list, we have formed an editorial committee to whom the queries on particular taxa should be addressed.

The Committee hopes to extend the list during the coming years, to include additional information, including illustrations.

History of the list

At the Fourth Session of the IOC Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms, Vigo, Spain, 30 June-2 July 1997, it was decided to establish a Task Team on Algal Taxonomy with the aim of providing an agreed reference list of harmful algal species, including correct citation of the author(s), date of valid publication, and a list of synonyms.

During the HAB 2000 Conference in Hobart, Tasmania, February 2000, the Committee met and discussed the contents and the format of the list. Following additional discussions over the e-mail, it was decided to prepare all entries in the list as follows:

The predecessor and basis for this list is the on-line version of the IOC Taxonomic Reference list of Toxic Plankton Algae, which was provided in cooperation with and hosted by the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen and was completed in early 2002. The cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are presently being added.

Citation

Usage of data from the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Microalgae in scientific publications should be acknowledged by citing as follows:

If the data from the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Microalgae constitute a substantial proportion of the records used in analyses, the chief editor(s) of the database should be contacted. There may be additional data which may prove valuable to such analyses.

Individual pages are individually authored and dated. These can be cited separately: the proper citation is provided at the bottom of each page.

Editors

IOC Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Microalgae Editorial Board:

Photographs of the banner by Jacob Larsen and Nina Lundholm.

Suggestions for changes and additions to the list should be forwarded to hab@marinespecies.org