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South Australian HAB Update: Karenia cristata has stronger toxic effects than any previously studied harmful algal bloom species

  • ANZHABNET
  • Jul 12
  • 1 min read

Updated: Jul 15

Image with article title and cover image of current issue of Nature Ecology and Evolution. QR code for journal link also included

Manuscript details:

Murray et al. (2026) A catastrophic marine mortality event caused by a complex algal bloom including the brevetoxin producer Karenia cristata. Nature Ecology and Evolution

Published 6 July 2026


Research led by Professor Shauna Murray from the University of Technology Sydney, with contributions from 25 scientists from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, revealed that Karenia cristata was a dominant species in an immense South Australian algal bloom.


Beginning in March 2025, and ongoing, this event has impacted >20,000 sq km in the region. This bloom is the first time that brevetoxins have been reported in Australia and the new research confirmed for the first time that Karenia cristata is a brevetoxin producing species. This new work shows that Karenia cristata is highly toxic, the most toxic microalga species currently known.


Photograph from manuscript (fig 3) morphology of Karenia cristata from South Australian blooms and laboratory cultures
Morphology of Karenia cristata from South Australian blooms and laboratory cultures (source https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.31.685766v1.full.pdf)

You can read more about the impact of this research in a selection of recent articles.


6/7/2026 - Nature Ecology and Evolution Research Briefing https://rdcu.be/fsBhJ








The pre-print version of the manuscript was featured on this site in November (see: South Australian HAB update: Identification of the brevetoxin producer Karenia cristata)


 
 
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