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Volume 17
Issue 3
10.3390/toxins17030135
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Article

Investigation into Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Microcystins in Seabirds from Portugal

by
Lucía Soliño
1,2,*,
Andrew D. Turner
3,
Begoña Ben-Gigirey
1,
Ryan P. Alexander
3,
Karl J. Dean
3,
Robert G. Hatfield
3,
Benjamin H. Maskrey
3 and
María V. Mena Casero
4,5
1
Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo (IEO-CSIC), Subida a Radio Faro, 50, 36390 Vigo, Spain
2
EU Reference Laboratory for Monitoring of Marine Biotoxins (EURLMB, AESAN), CITEXVI, Campus Universitario de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
3
Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), The Nothe, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK
4
Wildlife Rehabilitation and Research Center of Ria Formosa (RIAS), Ria Formosa Natural Park, 8700-194 Olhão, Portugal
5
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)—Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Toxins 2025, 17(3), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17030135
Submission received: 8 February 2025 / Revised: 7 March 2025 / Accepted: 11 March 2025 / Published: 13 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Harmful Algal Blooms in Waters: Characterization, Monitoring and Management)
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Abstract

Microalgae form the basis of marine food webs, essential in sustaining top predators including seabirds. However, certain species of microalgae synthesize biotoxins, which can accumulate in shellfish and fish and may cause harm to marine animals feeding on them. Toxins produced by dinoflagellates have been previously observed to be poisonous to seabirds. Also, in freshwater and brackish habitats, cyanobacteria have caused bird mortality events. In this work, we analyze the prevalence of six families of biotoxins (paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), microcystins (MCs), anatoxins, amnesic shellfish toxins (ASTs), cylindrospermopsin, and tetrodotoxins (TTXs)) in 340 samples from 193 wild birds admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in south Portugal. Furthermore, we consider the clinical picture and signs of 17 birds that presented quantifiable levels of biotoxins in their tissues. The relationship between toxin burdens and the symptomatology observed, as well as possible biotoxin sources, are discussed. Based on previously published research data, we conclude that, in these birds, the biotoxins are unlikely to be the only cause of death but might contribute to some extent to a reduction in birds’ fitness.
Keywords: harmful algal blooms; paralytic shellfish toxins; cyanotoxins; wild birds; microcystins harmful algal blooms; paralytic shellfish toxins; cyanotoxins; wild birds; microcystins

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MDPI and ACS Style

Soliño, L.; Turner, A.D.; Ben-Gigirey, B.; Alexander, R.P.; Dean, K.J.; Hatfield, R.G.; Maskrey, B.H.; Casero, M.V.M. Investigation into Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Microcystins in Seabirds from Portugal. Toxins 2025, 17, 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17030135

AMA Style

Soliño L, Turner AD, Ben-Gigirey B, Alexander RP, Dean KJ, Hatfield RG, Maskrey BH, Casero MVM. Investigation into Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Microcystins in Seabirds from Portugal. Toxins. 2025; 17(3):135. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17030135

Chicago/Turabian Style

Soliño, Lucía, Andrew D. Turner, Begoña Ben-Gigirey, Ryan P. Alexander, Karl J. Dean, Robert G. Hatfield, Benjamin H. Maskrey, and María V. Mena Casero. 2025. "Investigation into Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Microcystins in Seabirds from Portugal" Toxins 17, no. 3: 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17030135

APA Style

Soliño, L., Turner, A. D., Ben-Gigirey, B., Alexander, R. P., Dean, K. J., Hatfield, R. G., Maskrey, B. H., & Casero, M. V. M. (2025). Investigation into Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Microcystins in Seabirds from Portugal. Toxins, 17(3), 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17030135

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