Invertebrate mass mortality induced by a gymnodinium breve red tide in gulf of Mexico waters at sarasota, Florida

Abstract

An outbreak of red tide (Gymnodinium breve) during September 1978 resulted in a mass mortality of the following invertebrates on Sarasota, Florida beaches: spisula solidissima similis,. Donax variabilis; Emerita talpoida; and Libinia dubia. The invertebrate kill was most probably due to the effects of the toxic dinoflagel‐late rather than other factors such as low dissolved oxygen.

Key words:

• Gymnodinium breve
• Red Tide
• Mass Mortality
• Invertebrate Kill