Genus: Cochlodinium | Dinoflagellate

Order: Gymnodiniales
Family: Gymnodiniaceae

Description: Unarmoured cells with cingulum rotating more than 1.5x. Single cells or chain-forming, with or without chloroplasts. Encystment common.

Cell Size: Width = 20-40um, Length = 60-80um

Distribution: Cosmopolitan in warm and temperate waters.

Interesting Facts: A toxin producer. Recently, and for the first time, dense blooms of Cochlodinium have been reported in Monterey Bay.