The Possibility of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Independent Toxic Effects of Cochlodinium polykrikoides on Damselfish (Chromis caerulea)

Abstract

To elucidate the ichthyotoxic mechanism of the harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides, a bioassay using damselfish was conducted. After exposure to a live-cell suspension of C. polykrikoides, all the fish were died within 90 min. In the presence of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD), no significant reduction in the toxicity of C. polykrikoides on the fish was observed. Furthermore, no significant levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected in five strains of C. polykrikoides isolated in Japan. Our results support the idea that certain toxic substances, rather than ROS, are mainly responsible for the fish-killing activity of C. polykrikoides.