IDENTITY OF ZOOXANTHELLAE ISOLATED FROM SOME PACIFIC TRIDACNIDAE

Abstract

The taxonomy and nltrastructure of zooxanthellae from 6 species of Pacific giant clam have been studied from cultures. Comparison with type material shows that all of the isolates are Symbiodinium microadriaticum, a symbiotic dinoflagellate originally recorded from coelenterates in the Caribbean. Specific criteria for the identification of this organism are discussed, and their value to the comparative taxonomy of marine zooxanthellae is noted.