@article{Quijano-Scheggia_Garcés_Sampedro_van Lenning_Flo_Andree_Fortuño_Camp_2008, title={Identification and characterisation of the dominant Pseudo-nitzschia species (Bacillariophyceae) along the NE Spanish coast (Catalonia, NW Mediterranean)}, volume={72}, url={https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/855}, DOI={10.3989/scimar.2008.72n2343}, abstractNote={Potentially toxic species of the genus <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> were studied along the Spanish NW Mediterranean coast from January 2005 to May 2006. Observation in electron microscopy revealed the presence of <em>Pseudo-nitzschia brasiliana, P. calliantha, P. delicatissima, P. fraudulenta, P. multistriata</em> and <em>P. pungens</em>. Several strains were isolated from coastal waters and their clonal cultures were compared by combined techniques, including light and electron microscopy and internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1, 5.8S and ITS-2) rDNA sequencing. Cultured isolates were submitted to HPLC analysis of pigments to evaluate the possibility of taxonomic discriminations by means of a simple chemotaxonomic approach. The genus <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> showed high cell concentrations during most of the year, but the population initiated a sharp decline at all stations in the period between April and May. <em>P. delicatissima</em> with <em>P. calliantha</em> were found at the northern stations between February and April, and at the southern stations between August and November. <em>P. brasiliana</em> and <em>P. multistriata</em> were only occasionally detected in the southern region. None of the environmental variables considered was significant to explain the observed spatial and temporal distributions of <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> species in the area studied. Differences in the growth rate and cell yield of the species indicate that biotic factors may play a role in the observed distributional patterns.}, number={2}, journal={Scientia Marina}, author={Quijano-Scheggia, Sonia and Garcés, Esther and Sampedro, Nagore and van Lenning, Kees and Flo, Eva and Andree, Karl and Fortuño, José-Manuel and Camp, Jordi}, year={2008}, month={Jun.}, pages={343–359} }