Scientists believe they may have identified a little-known algal species called Karenia cristata as the source of South Australia's devastating algal bloom.

The breakthrough research, which is undergoing the process of academic peer review, also shows it to have been the dominant species for the majority of the bloom's existence and one of five Karenia species present.

Karenia cristata is the only one known to produce the brevetoxins (algal toxins) behind the bloom.

Professor Shauna Murray, from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), has been leading the research team in a bid to identify the brevetoxin-producing species.

Her team has been working on the problem since the bloom surfaced near Victor Harbor beaches in March after large amounts of sea foam, marine deaths and acute he

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