 The unusual feature of the cell is that it contains reddish-brown chloroplast.The taxonomic identification of "Dinophysis" species is largely based on cell contouring, size and shape of their large hypothecal plates and the shape of their left sulcal lists and ribs.When viewed laterally species in the "Dinophysis" are laterally compressed with a cap-like epitheca and a much larger hypotheca although the size and shape of these species varies greatly due to their polymorphic life cycle.