Nutrition
Dinoflagellates exhibit three different kinds
of feeding methods: phagocytosis, peduncle feeding, and pallium
feeding.
1. Phagocytosis is a method in which the organism will engulf
the desired food particle. The organism approaches the desired
food particle via flagella and then surrounds the particle or
organism. The main organism will form around the desired
nutrient and will internalize it to then be digested and
absorbed.
2. Peduncle feeding consists of a Dinoflagellate that possesses
a peduncle, an extension of the membrane with microtubules, that
extends out to capture its prey (Lee, 1999).
3. Pallium feeding which is when the organism’s pallium,
extension of the membrane, is extended and secretes digestive
enzymes on its prey which will digest the prey outside of the
organism. The pallium will then retract back into the organism
so it can absorb the nutrients. All three of these methods are
depicted below.
Wikipedia Commons: Unknown Author
Alexandrium tamarense uses the first feeding method described above, phagocytosis. A. tamarense moves towards the desired nutrient via two flagella instead of one. Keep in mind that Alexandrium tamarense is a single celled organism and the ability to engulf another particle or organism is amazing!
Next Stop: Reproduction!