MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY IN 3 POPULATIONS OF THE DINOFLAGELLATE ALEXANDRIUM-TAYLORI

Water discolourations were observed in two localities of the NW Medite rranean (La Fosca and Palmira, Spain) during the summer of 1994 and 19 95 caused by a non-toxic dinoflagellate belonging to the genus Alexand rium, subgenus Gessnerium. The organism was identified as Alexandrium taylori Balech, although differences were encountered compared to the original description from Arcachon (France). Detailed studies of the 1 ' plate were conducted on the Spanish material and compared with speci mens from the type locality. Differences reported here between the Spa nish and French populations are considered to be within the range of t he morphological variability of this taxon.