Juveniles after Exposure to the Toxic Dinoflagellate : Effects on Fish Viability, Tissue Contamination and Microalgae Survival after Gut Passage.

Pinnatoxins (PnTX) and Portimines (Prtn), two toxins produced by the benthic dinoflagellate , are known to be lethal to mice after intraperitoneal or oral administration. They are also known to accumulate in shellfish such as mussels and clams, but their effect on fish and the upper food chain remains unknown. In this work, juveniles of the fish (Mullet) were exposed to a strain of producing PnTX G and Prtn A. The fishes' viability and contamination were recorded at times interval. Results showed that juveniles were able to feed on and that their tissues could be contaminated by PnTX G and Prtn A without impact on fish viability. Furthermore, the microalgae temporary cysts survived and germinated after fish gut passage. This study showed the potential of to transfer PnTX and Prtn toxins to the upper food chain and to disseminate in environment.