Dinophysis is a dinoflagellate genus with more than 200 recognised species found in coastal and oceanic waters throughout the world. Cell densities are usually negligible, but favourable conditions can result in massive blooms also known as red tides. Attention to Dinophysis greatly increased as several species of the genus were linked to the toxin including okadaic acid responsible for the toxic syndrome diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), a gastrointestinal illness causing huge economical losses for the mussel industry, especially around Europe and Japan.