Genesis of BMAA hypothesis

• BMAA biomagnification in Guam

• Fruit bats highly desirable

• Access to guns during WW2

• 100X increase in neurodegenerative diseases among native Chamorros and associates

• Decline and extinction of bats on Guam

• Decline of neurodegenerative diseases

Symbiotic association

between cycadroots & Nostoc

Flying foxes eat fleshy seed sarcotesta of cycad seeds

© Merlin Tuttle

Sample Species Scientific Name Average total BMAA (g/g)

H-0541-TX bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 474

H-0630-TX bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 335

H-0636-TX bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 675

H-0717-TX bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 295

H-0720-TX bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 114

H-0805 bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus ND

Indian River Lagoon

Sample Species Scientific Name Average total BMAA (g/g)

CB1 blue crab Callinectes sapidus 2621

CB6 blue crab Callinectes sapidus 3486

CB2 blue crab Callinectes sapidus 4018

CB5 white perch Morone americana 1806

CB4 white perch Morone americana 3996

Chesapeake Bay