They typically have two flagella, one that propels water to the rear and another that rotates the body.
Some dinoflagellates can photosynthesize, while others are strictly heterotrophic.
The loop current is known to extend far to the north and occasionally to intrude on the continental shelf of the north-central Gulf, at speeds of 127 to 177 centimeters per second. These eddies spin westward toward the Texas coast, carrying vast amounts of water and marine life into the western Gulf. Although zooplankton and other filter feeders eat phytoplankton, huge populations, called blooms, sometimes build up and can damage marine life and the environment.