First report of toxic Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Raphidiopsis mediterranea (Cyanoprokaryota) in Egyptian fresh waters

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, a potentially toxic and highly adaptable freshwater cyanobacterium, was believed to have been misidentified in the Nile at the end of the 19th century. This study reports the presence of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Raphidiopsis mediterranea for the first time in Egyptian fresh waters since that time. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii appeared in the El-Dowyrat fish pond during May 2002, when bottom waters reached, as a result of climatic change, sufficiently high temperatures to allow the germination of its akinetes in the sediments. Both C. raciborskii and R. mediterranea showed seasonal variations, with highest densities recorded in August of each year. The count of the two species correlated positively with pH, temperature and conductance, and negatively with nutrients, during the study period. The densities of C. raciborskii and R. mediterranea varied significantly along the depth profile of this pond, with peaks obtained at 1 and 0.5m, respectively. Isolates of C. raciborskii and R. mediterranea from this pond exhibited toxicity to Artemia salina, Daphnia magna and mice. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii extracts had hepatotoxic effects on mice, but R. mediterranea extracts showed neurotoxic effects on mice. The identification of toxic C. raciborskii and R. mediterranea in this pond should be considered during the monitoring of cyanobacteria in drinking and recreational water sources in Egypt.