Gonyaulax





	image credit: D. Tighe, iNaturalist	Genus: Gonyaulax \| Dinoflagellate Common West Coast species: G. spinifera, G. polyedra Order: Gonyaulacales Family: Gonyaulacaceae Click on illustration to enlarge Description: Armored, ovoid to fusiform cells with chloroplasts. Some species form benthic cysts. Distinguished by descending cingulum up to 6x girdle width. Cell Size: Width 25-140um Distribution: Widespread throughout the world's oceans. Synonym: Gonyaulax polyedra = Lingulodinium polyedra Interesting fact: Gonyaulax spinifera can produce toxins.

This Phytoplankton Identification page is affiliated with CeNCOOS and HABMAP, and is maintained by the Kudela Lab at the University of California Santa Cruz. Details about site history, funding, and sources of information and images can be found here.