Dinoflagellida

Dinoflagellida /Di·no·fla·gel·li·da/ (-flah-jel´ĭ-dah) an order of minute plantlike, chiefly marine protozoa, which are an important component of plankton. They may be present in sea water in such vast numbers that they cause a discoloration (red tide), which may result in the death of marine animals, including fish, by exhaustion of their oxygen supply. Some species secrete a powerful neurotoxin that can cause a severe toxic reaction in humans who ingest shellfish that feed on the toxin-producing organisms.

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Dinoflagellida [di″no-flah-jel´ĭ-dah]

an order of minute, plantlike, chiefly marine protozoa. They may be present in sea water in vast numbers, causing a discoloration known as red tide or red water, which may result in the death of various marine animals and fish by exhaustion of their oxygen supply. Some species secrete a powerful neurotoxin that can cause a severe toxic reaction in humans who ingest shellfish that feed on the toxin-producing organisms.