How to Use dinoflagellate in a Sentence

dinoflagellate

noun
  • In these photos, the blue glow is due to dinoflagellates, a type of algae, being disturbed in the water.
    Mark Graves | , oregonlive, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Not all dinoflagellates glow, but the ones that do are thought to have evolved the flashy trick to startle and scare off predators, not unlike a visual burglar alarm.
    Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2020
  • At least three species of dinoflagellates and one diatom species are responsible for the toxic mess of red tides in the United States.
    Jenny Howard, National Geographic, 5 July 2019
  • The nicest thing one can say about K. brevis is that it is named in honor of Karen Steidinger, a renown expert who studied the harmful dinoflagellate for 40 years.
    David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2018
  • Red tides are caused by a type of unicellular algae known as a dinoflagellate.
    David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2018
  • In contrast to dinoflagellates, which swim to access nutrients and light, diatoms float in the ocean and if nutrients abound, the algae bloom.
    Jenny Howard, National Geographic, 5 July 2019
  • Karenia brevis, a dinoflagellate, is the organism in red tide and produces the toxin.
    Larry Brand, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2021
  • From diatoms encased in glass to dinoflagellates that can cause toxic algae blooms, phytoplankton are a diverse group of algae that live in the ocean.
    Stephanie De Marco, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2019
  • Red tide is a natural occurring algae bloom, produced by the dinoflagellate K. brevis found in in the Gulf of Mexico.
    Joe Mario Pedersen, orlandosentinel.com, 7 Oct. 2019
  • Red tide is a natural occurrence that happens due to the presence of nutrients in the water and an organism called a dinoflagellate.
    Tamara Lush, The Seattle Times, 20 Aug. 2018
  • In some species, horns store cyanobacteria that can provide the dinoflagellates with nitrogen when nutrients are low.
    National Geographic, 12 Nov. 2016
  • In some species, horns store cyanobacteria that can provide the dinoflagellates with nitrogen when nutrients are low.
    National Geographic, 12 Nov. 2016
  • This substance is produced by small crustaceans called copepods that often graze on dinoflagellates.
    The Economist, 21 June 2019
  • Similar to the glow of a firefly, the bright blue flashes lighting up the ocean waves are the biochemical reaction of small, algae-like organisms known as dinoflagellates.
    Sunset, 22 Jan. 2018
  • Red tide is a natural occurrence that happens due to the presence of nutrients in salt water and an organism called a dinoflagellate.
    Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2019
  • Others insist the little critter was framed, and that another dinoflagellate was the real culprit.
    Michael Dresser, baltimoresun.com, 22 July 2017
  • Fossils of mantis shrimp, shark teeth, dinoflagellates and saline-loving bacteria were discovered deep beneath the rain forest.
    Jackson Landers, Smithsonian, 5 May 2017
  • Fossils of mantis shrimp, shark teeth, dinoflagellates and saline-loving bacteria were discovered deep beneath the rain forest.
    Jackson Landers, Smithsonian, 6 May 2017
  • In high concentrations, flashing dinoflagellates can make the water glow.
    Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
  • The results are less stunning during the day: The dinoflagellates discolor the water in a phenomenon known as red tide, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
    Scottie Andrew and Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN, 21 July 2019
  • When the ocean heats up, symbiotic algae, the zooxanthellae [a yellowish-brown symbiotic dinoflagellate that lives in the coral and gives it color], can’t stay there anymore.
    Michael J. Coren, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2020
  • The glowing outline of the dolphins is caused by microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2020
  • People are afraid to eat them because of their association with ciguatera, a dinoflagellate that can cause intestinal distress.
    AL.com, 23 July 2017
  • After dark, the tour searches for blooms of bioluminescent dinoflagellates, small organisms in the water that produce a burst of light when excited by motion.
    Necee Regis, BostonGlobe.com, 12 June 2018
  • With more wind stirring up nutrients, dinoflagellates can get food easier.
    Jenny Howard, National Geographic, 5 July 2019
  • Ciguatera poisoning occurs because tangs sometimes eat large quantities of creatures called dinoflagellates, which create several kinds of toxins that build up in the tang’s body.
    National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
  • The event is due to a chemical reaction that causes comb jellies (translucent sea creatures) and dinoflagellates (bioluminescent plankton) to emit blue light any time the water is disturbed.
    Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2023
  • Scripps scientist Michael Latz said the red tide is due to massive numbers of dinoflagellates including Lingulodinium polyedra.
    CBS News, 9 May 2018
  • Getaway Adventures leads the paddling after dark through waters that contain bioluminescent dinoflagellates, small organisms that light up in the water when excited by the movement of the kayaks.
    Phil Marty, chicagotribune.com, 30 May 2018
  • Some species of dinoflagellates light up using a similar to chemical reaction to that of fireflies; both use a naturally occurring molecule called luciferin, named for Lucifer, the light-bearer.
    Liz Langley, National Geographic, 2 May 2019

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dinoflagellate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: