On the occurrence of the potentially toxic dinoflagellatesAlexandrium tamarense(=Gonyaulax excavata) andA. Ostenfeldiiin Danish and faroese waters

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Abstract
The occurrence of Alexandrium tamarense (= Gonyaulax tamarensis, Gonyaulax excavata) and A. ostenfeldii (= Goniodoma ostenfeldii) in Faroese and Danish waters is discussed. PSP-producing A. tamarense were recorded for the first time in the Faroe Islands in 1984, and a serious fish kill took place. A. tamarense was found in the Limfjord area, Denmark, in 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1987, and PSP was recorded for the first time in 1987. A. ostenfeldii occurs in both the Faroe Islands and Denmark, but its toxic potential is not known. Thecal structure of Alexandrium species in Danish material has been examined in detail, and compared with material from Norway and England (from the type localities of A. excavatum and A. tamarense, respectively). It is concluded that although differences exist within and among material from different geographic regions, cells described variously as Gonyaulax excavata and G. tamarensis cannot be separated and belong to the same species. The name Alexandrium tamarense is adopted, but the possibility of conserving the name Gonyaulax tamarensis, used widely throughout the world, should also be considered.