| Lyngbya majuscula | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Cyanobacteria |
| Class: | Cyanophyceae |
| Order: | Oscillatoriales |
| Family: | Oscillatoriaceae |
| Genus: | Lyngbya |
| Species: | L. majuscula |
| Binomial name | |
| Lyngbya majuscula Harvey in Hooker ex Gomont, 1892 [1] |
|
Lyngbya majuscula is a species of cyanobacteria in the genus Lyngbya. Lyngbya majuscula grows on seagrass [2] and is one of the causes of the human skin irritation seaweed dermatitis.[3] It is known as fireweed in Australia[4] and stinging limu in Hawai'i.[5]
The prevalence of this organism appears to be on the increase due to pollution and overfishing. Nutrients such as nitrogen and human waste flow to the ocean due to rain and sewage runoff; these added nutrients increase the population of microbes, which in turn remove oxygen from the water. Reduced numbers of fish to eat the microbes further enhances the microbe populations. Cyanobacteria are evolutionarily optimized for environmental conditions of low oxygen.[6] Lyngbya majuscula can also fix its own nitrogen from atmospheric nitrogen dissolved in the seawater. This implies that pollution with phosphorus and iron may be more important than nitrogen pollution.[7]
L. majuscula is known for its toxicity, producing Lyngbyatoxin-a and other "antifungal and cytotoxic agents, including laxaphycin A and B and curacin A."[8]
A major outbreak occurred in Darwin Harbour in May- June 2010.