Dinoflagellate biology

The dinoflagellates (), also called dinophytes, are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered protists. Dinoflagellates are mostly marine plankton, but they are also common in freshwater habitats. Their populations vary with sea surface temperature, salinity, and depth. Many dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, but a large fraction of these are in fact mixotrophic, combining photosynthesis with ingestion of prey (phagotrophy and myzocytosis).

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bloom of algae that causes harm to the nearby ecosystem

thumb|Paramecium tetraurelia, a ciliate, with discharged trichocysts (artificially colored in blue). A trichocyst is an organelle found in certain ciliates and dinoflagellates.

thumb|right|Strawberry anther with parallel thecae In biology, a theca (: thecae) is a sheath or a covering.