Temporal variation in dinoflagellate species composition at fish cages farm area along Santubong River

Dinoflagellates were identified and counted from preserved net haul samples collected from three different stations along Santubong River. The samples were collected monthly from December 20 II to April 20 12. Eight dinoflagellate genera namely Ceratium, Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, Gonyaulax, Prorocentrum, Protoperidinium, Pyrocystis and Pyrophacus were recorded. Another 72 genera were belongs to diatoms. Ceratium furca and a diatom Chaetoceros are the most common species found. A few potentially toxic dinoflagellates species have been detected. They were Dinophysis, Prorocentrum and Gymnodinium. The water physico-chemical parameters range from 29.1-32.2°C for temperature, 26-31.3 PSU for salinity, 7.3-8.0 for pH, 2.1-8.2mgL-1 for dissolved oxygen (DO) and 5.9-64 NTU for turbidity of Santubong River. Result from this study showed that diatoms were dominated and dinoflagellates species composition is well distributed in all of the sampling stations