Amphidinium carterae

The genus Amphidinium (am-fee-din-ee-um) is a commonly encountered and speciose member of the dinoflagellates. There is a circumferential groove on the cell surface that runs around the anterior half of the cell, and a second one running along the length of the body. There is a flagellum in each groove. The asymmetrical location of the horizontal groove gives this genus its name (cf. Gymnodinium). Swimming species, with plastid and red inclusion. Differential interference contrast.

Amphidinium (am-fee-din-ee-um) carterae Hulburt 1957. The image shows a cell in ventral view with one yellow-brown chloroplast with multiple lobes. The epicone is small and turned to the left.

Cells oval from the ventral side, dorso-ventrally flattened. Length 11 - 17 microns, width 9 - 13 microns, breadth (lateral) approximately 6 microns, length to width ratio 1.2 - 1.6. Epicone crescent-shaped from the ventral side, clearly deflected towards the left. Cingulum beginning 0.3 - 0.4 of the cell length from the apex, midway across the ventral face, rising initially, then descending on the ventral side, distal end 0.5 of the cell length from the apex, 1 - 2 microns from the right margin of the ventral face. Sulcus beginning 1 - 2 microns below the proximal end of the cingulum, continuing to posterior. Nucleus in the posterior part of the hypocone, rounded. Chloroplast greenish-yellow, probably single with multiple lobes. Division is by binary fission in the motile cell. Central pyrenoid, approximately 3 microns diameter. A clonal culture has been made of this species.

Amphidinium carterae observed in marine muds and sandy sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using differential interference contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Amphidinium carterae observed in marine muds and sandy sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using differential interference contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Roscoff Culture Collection (strain number: 88 -strain name: CCMP1314).