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Mesodinium rubrum (M. rubrum)
Mesodinium rubrum (M. rubrum), formerly known as Myrionecta rubra, is a photosynthetic ciliate that generates large, non-toxic red water blooms in the Columbia River estuary. They contain red colored chloroplasts that originate from cryptophyte algae. The intense red color in the water is a result of high concentrations of M. rubrum cells at the surface.