Gymnodiniales

{{Short description|Order of single-celled organisms}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Karenia_brevis.jpg | image_caption = Karenia brevis, a member of the Kareniaceae; this organism is associated with red tides occurring in the Gulf of Mexico and produces brevetoxins that can harm aquatic life.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Landsberg|first1=J.H.|last2=Flewelling|first2=L.J.|last3=Naar|first3=J.|title=Karenia brevis red tides, brevetoxins in the food web, and impacts on natural resources: Decadal advancements|journal=Harmful Algae|date=March 2009|volume=8|issue=4|pages=598–607|doi=10.1016/j.hal.2008.11.010}}</ref> | image_alt = | taxon = Gymnodiniales | subdivision_ranks = Families | subdivision = See text }}

The '''Gymnodiniales''' are an order of dinoflagellates, of the class Dinophyceae.<ref>{{cite WoRMS|author=Michael D. Guiry|year=2015|title=Gymnodiniales |db=AlgaeBase |id=109392}}</ref> Members of the order are known as '''gymnodinioid''' or '''gymnodinoid''' (terms that can also refer to any organism of similar morphology). They are athecate, or lacking an armored exterior, and as a result are relatively difficult to study because specimens are easily damaged. Many species are part of the marine plankton and are of interest primarily due to being found in algal blooms. As a group the gymnodinioids have been described as "likely one of the least known groups of the open ocean phytoplankton."<ref name=gomez>{{cite journal|last1=Gómez|first1=F|title=Gymnodinioid Dinoflagellates (Gymnodiniales, Dinophyceae) in the Open Pacific Ocean|journal=Algae|date=2007|volume=22|issue=4|pages=273–86|doi=10.4490/ALGAE.2007.22.4.273|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Of the families in the order, the Polykrikaceae and Warnowiaceae are well known for possessing exceptionally complex assemblies of organelles, such as nematocysts, trichocysts, and pistons. The Warnowiaceae uniquely possess an ocelloid, an extremely complex light-sensitive subcellular structure composed of mitochondria and plastids.<ref name=gavelis>{{cite journal |title=Eye-like ocelloids are built from different endosymbiotically acquired components |author=Gregory S. Gavelis |author2=Shiho Hayakawa |author3=Richard A. White III |author4=Takashi Gojobori |author5=Curtis A. Suttle |author6=Patrick J. Keeling |author7=Brian S. Leander |journal=Nature |year=2015 |doi=10.1038/nature14593 |pmid=26131935 |volume=523 |issue=7559 |pages=204–7|bibcode=2015Natur.523..204G |url=http://repository.kaust.edu.sa/kaust/handle/10754/566109 |hdl=10754/566109 |s2cid=4462376 |hdl-access=free |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=hoppenrath>{{cite journal|last1=Hoppenrath|first1=M|last2=Bachvaroff|first2=TR|last3=Handy|first3=SM|last4=Delwiche|first4=CF|last5=Leander|first5=BS|title=Molecular phylogeny of ocelloid-bearing dinoflagellates (Warnowiaceae) as inferred from SSU and LSU rDNA sequences.|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|date=25 May 2009|volume=9|page=116|pmid=19467154|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-9-116|pmc=2694157|doi-access=free|bibcode=2009BMCEE...9..116H}}</ref>

==Families== {{Columns-list|colwidth=30em| *Brachidiniaceae (e.g. ''Torodinium'') *Ceratoperidiniaceae *Gymnodiniaceae *Hemidiniaceae *Kareniaceae *Polykrikaceae *Pronoctilucaceae *Ptychodiscaceae *Tovelliaceae *Warnowiaceae }}

==Gallery== {{Gallery |title=Gymnodiniales |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |File:Bmc evol bio hoppenrath proterythropsis ocelloid fig1a.png |alt1=An image of a single cell featuring a large nucleus and an ocelloid, which is composed of a roundish "lens" and a darkly pigmented disc-shaped retinal body. |''Proterythropsis'' sp. from the family Warnowiaceae, highlighting the distinctive ocelloid (double arrow)<ref name=hoppenrath /> |File:Gyrodinium spirale.jpg |alt2=Three examples of cells with an elongated shape with a distinctive spiral in the center and pointed ends. |''Gyrodinium spirale'' from the family Gymnodiniaceae  }}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

Category:Gymnodiniales Category:Dinoflagellate orders