Okadaic acid production from the marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum belizeanum Faust isolated from the Belizean coral reef ecosystem.

A species of epiphytic Prorocentrum (Dinophyta, Prorocentrales, collected from the macroalga Dictyota dichotoma, was brought into culture. Based on morphological characteristics, this isolate was identified as Prorocentrum belizeanum. Analysis of the culture extract using high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated the production of okadaic acid, a toxic polyether linked with the human diseases, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning and ciguatera fish poisoning.