Toxic effect of the bloom-forming Trichodesmium sp. (Cyanophyta) to the copepod Acartia tonsa

The toxicity of the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium sp. to the copepod Acartia tonsa was assessed in a series of experiments during a Trichodesmium bloom off the North Carolina coast in late October 1992. Healthy intact cells of Trichodesmium sp. were not toxic to A. tonsa and were ingested by A. tonsa when no other foods were available. However, homogenized Trichodesmium cells were toxic to A. tonsa, suggesting that Trichodesmium sp. contains certain type(s) of intracellular biotoxins. This hypothesis was consistent with the observed high mortality when A. tonsa was treated with aging Trichodesmium sp. cells or with filtered cell homogenate. The affected copepods showed weakness, recumbency, and reduced responsiveness. Many were observed to have distended intestines. Bioassays using aged Trichodesmium sp. cells and filtered homogenate demonstrated a dose-dependent effect on A. tonsa survival.