Facts

Gonyaulax catenella is very deadly to marine organism and to even humans who ingest these marine organisms. Fortunately for everyone, G. catenella can be used for good!

Saxitoxin is 1,000 times more toxic than the potent nerve gas, sarin.

Saxitoxin's exotic and illustrious past includes being used by the CIA in the 1950's as suicide pills for its agents.

Gonyaulax cysts may be able to be used as petroleum reserves. Dinoflagellates have been preserved as fossils on ocean floor and turned into petroleum compounds as the pressure of sediment increases over the years.

G. catenella poisons have medical applications. Research is currently being conducted regarding the use of chemically modified saxitoxin in the treatment of nerve and heart disorders. additionally, saxitoxin may have future importance as a local anesthetic



Head on over to the References page to obtain more data on Gonyaulax catenella!










              FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Flickr Creative Commons. 2013