Dinoflagellata (Noun)
Meaning
In some classifications considered a phylum of the kingdom Protista; in others included in the plant phylum Pyrrophyta.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Dinoflagellata are primarily marine plankton and are known for their role in the bioluminescence of ocean waters.
- Some Dinoflagellata species contain the pigment chlorophyll, suggesting a photosynthetic lifestyle.
- The cell bodies of Dinoflagellata often exhibit brightly colored, spotted, or striped patterns due to the presence of other pigments.
- A few species of Dinoflagellata are endoparasites or ectoparasites of fish or invertebrates, with most species free-living and autotrophic.
- In the 1970s, severe red tides caused by high concentrations of Dinoflagellata blooms harmed commercially valuable marine ecosystems.