Background and Aims:

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) commonly occur in the Mexican Pacific, being important HABs of Gymnodinium catenatum (Gc) and of Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum (Pbc) for being saxitoxin-producing dinoflagellates that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. The latter is a taxon that sporadically occurs in the tropical Mexican Pacific. This study describes the behavior of both taxa throughout the annual cycle and analyzes their morphology, abundance, distribution, and their bloom dynamics, in relation to environmental and climatological parameters.

Methods:

Phytoplankton collections were made ten times from October 2009 to January 2011 within Acapulco Bay and its surroundings, together with measurements of physicochemical parameters. Climatic data were obtained from Acapulco weather station. Abundance of phytoplankton was evaluated with the Utermöhl method. Statistical analyses were carried out to investigate the relationship of Gc and Pbc abundances with environmental and climatic parameters.

Key results:

Gc was present throughout the year 2010 in low densities and in November 2010 it reached a maximum of 189×103 cells l-1, associated with several species of diatoms and dinoflagellates, including Pbc. Gc bloom coincided with decrease in ammonium and decrease in water temperature with respect to the average. Pyrodinium bahamense morphometry from Acapulco corresponds to var. compressum. Pbc formed an intense HAB in July 2010 (reaching a maximum abundance of 773×103 cells l-1), causing significant toxicity and had an upturn in November.

Conclusions:

Pbc HABs in Acapulco require the occurrence of a previous HAB in the central Pacific or Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico, horizontal transportation of their cysts, as well as high water temperature conditions, abundant rainfall that increased the concentration of phosphates, which is propitiated in the periods of transition “El Niñoˮ-“La Niñaˮ events. Gc HABs in Acapulco are related to “La Niña” events, with an abrupt change in water temperature and an increase in nitrogenous forms.

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