The genus Gambierdiscus produces ciguatera toxins, which has led to extensive studies of this genus. Epiphytic dinoflagellate cells were isolated from coralline macroalgae collected from the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea, and two clonal cultures were established. The morphology of these cells was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy, and the sequences of the small subunit (SSU), large subunit (LSU), and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA were determined. The phylogenetic trees based on SSU, LSU (D1-D3), and LSU (D8-D10) rDNA showed the two Korean isolates forming a clade with unidentified strains named Gambierdiscus sp. type 2. This clade showed a clear divergence from the two closest clades containing of the G. caribaeus and G. carpenteri strains. Morphologically, the Korean isolates had an anteroposteriorly compressed cell shape having a smooth theca ornamentation. Growth of the Korean isolates ceased when water temperatures were <20 °C or >30 °C with an optimum at 26 °C. This temperature preference may account for why Gambierdiscus sp. type 2 has only been isolated from the temperate waters of Korea and Japan. However, the two most closely related species G. caribaeus and G. carpenteri have broader temperature ranges tolerating as high as 34–36 °C and are globally distributed. Based on these results, the Korean isolates are proposed as a new species in the genus Gambierdiscus and named Gambierdiscus jejuensis sp. nov. Furthermore, it is suggested that the unidentified strains belonging to the Gambierdiscus sp. type 2 be transferred to the new species, G. jejuensis.

Gambierdiscus属产生雪茄毒素，这导致对该类的广泛研究。从韩国济州岛沿海水域收集的珊瑚大型藻中分离出附生的鞭毛藻细胞，并建立了两种克隆培养物。使用光和扫描电子显微镜检查这些细胞的形态，并确定rDNA的小亚基（SSU），大亚基（LSU）和内部转录间隔区（ITS）区域的序列。基于SSU，LSU（D1-D3）和LSU（D8-D10）rDNA的系统发育树显示，这两个韩国分离株与未鉴定的菌株Gambierdiscus sp形成了进化枝。2型。该进化枝与两个最接近的G. caribaeus进化枝有明显的分歧和G. carpenteri菌株。从形态上讲，韩国分离株具有前后压缩的细胞形状，具有平滑的卵泡膜装饰。当水温<20°C或> 30°C，最佳温度为26°C时，韩国分离株的生长停止。该温度偏爱可能解释了为什么Gambierdiscus sp.。2型仅从韩国和日本的温带水域中分离出来。然而，两个最密切相关的物种G. caribaeus和G. carpenteri具有更宽的温度范围，可承受高达34–36°C的温度，并且在全球范围内分布。基于这些结果，韩国分离株被提议为甘比氏菌属中的新物种，并命名为济南甘比氏菌。sp。十一月 此外，建议属于甘比氏菌属（Gambierdiscus sp。）的未鉴定菌株。将类型2转移到新种济州种（G. jejuensis）。