CONFIRMATION OF DOMOIC ACID PRODUCTION BY <i>PSEUDONITZSCHIA AUSTRALIS</i> (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) CULTURES¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT Single done isolates of Pseudonitzschia australis Frenguelli (= Nitzschia pseudoseriata Hasle) isolated from a toxic bloom in Monterey Bay, California produced domoic acid in culture. Although long‐term historical records do not indicate previous blooms of this species on the Pacific coast, this is probably because it has been often misidentified as Nitzschia seriata Hasle; previous evidence for toxicity is lacking. Hydrographic data suggest that areas such as Monterey Bay might be “hot spots” for domoic acid‐producing blooms.