Despite the considerable intra- and inter-strain variability in morphological characters, morphometric measurements and frequencies of VX-809 supplier some plate features were significantly related to phylogenetic structure. Frequencies of s.a. plate shapes as well as width/height ratios of the s.a. and 6″ plates differed statistically between groups, specifically groups 1/2 and groups 5/6. Though these plate features were not consistently present or absent, their quantitative distribution in these groups, indicates some degree

of isolation. Particularly conspicuous was the frequent occurrence of an anteriorly extended 1′ plate in groups 1 and 2 (also reflected by a larger 1′ area in these groups), a feature described by Biecheler (1952) for G. dimorpha. This feature has previously gone unnoticed due to the fact that most researchers have not considered the possibility that G. dimorpha may actually represent an Alexandrium species, despite the undeniable similarity to A. ostenfeldii and A. peruvianum. Balech’s doubts concerning the identity of G. dimorpha (Balech and Tangen 1985, Balech 1995), motivated by the large variety of cell and plate shapes in Biecheler’s

illustrations (Biecheler 1952), have possibly contributed to the lack of recognition. Another factor that may be involved is sampling bias. Small coastal lagoons like the one Biecheler investigated have only very recently come to the attention of scientists as potential A. ostenfeldii/peruvianum habitats due to toxic LY2109761 concentration A. ostenfeldii or A. peruvianum blooms (Kremp et al. 2009, Borkman et al. 2012). The cells described recently from “G. dimorpha” habitats frequently show typical group 1 and 2 features, most conspicuously MCE the anteriorly extended 1′ plate (Bravo et al. 2006, Kremp et al. 2009, Borkman et al. 2012, Tomas et al. 2012, figs. 1, 10 and 11). It is likely that our groups 1 and 2 represent what Biecheler described as G. dimorpha. This idea is further strengthened by the fact that the two Spanish group 2 strains IEOVGOAMD12 and IEOVGOAM10C were

isolated from an embayment at the Catalan coast, only 200 km south of the G. dimorpha type location. The morphologies of group 5 and 6 strains, which comprise much of the other larger phylogenetic cluster, conformed mostly to the A. ostenfeldii description. Morphometric data revealed high frequencies of typical features such as narrow 1′ plates, door-latch-shaped s.a. plates and wide 6″ plates. These strains predominantly originate from the regions in the vicinity of the type location in Iceland (Paulsen 1904) and Norway. Specifically, AOIS4 isolated for this study from Breidafjord, Iceland, fits the type as defined by Balech and Tangen (1985) quite well with mostly narrow 1′ plates, frequently occurring low door-latch-shaped s.a. plates and a large ventral pore.