Recent advances in dinoflagellate cyst: Integrating review with visual taxonomic perspectives

Resting cysts are a critical stage in the life cycle of certain dinoflagellates, involving active growth, sexual reproduction, and dormancy. With the global rise in harmful algal blooms (HABs), interest in the ecological roles of these cysts has grown. This review systematically analyzed literatures indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and identified three major themes within the field of modern dinoflagellate cyst research: field investigations, life history and ecological implications, and taxonomy and phylogenetics. Advances in these areas have improved our understanding of how resting cysts contribute to reconstructing eutrophication histories, assessing invasion risks, exploring genetic diversity, and supporting HAB forecasting. This review also outlines recent progress in dinoflagellate classification, emphasizing developments in both morphological and molecular approaches, and highlights emerging topics related to toxin-producing species and genetic markers. Together, these insights provide an integrated view of how cyst formation, dormancy, and germination influence ecological adaptation, population dynamics, bloom management, and evolutionary processes, while identifying directions for future research. • Unveiling ecological roles of dinoflagellate cysts in fluctuating environments. • Highlights global distribution and field analysis methods of dinoflagellate cysts. • Investigates dinoflagellate cysts' impact on eutrophication, genetic diversity, and HABs. • Comprehensive review identifies key research themes in dinoflagellate cyst studies. • Emerging focus on climate-linked mechanisms, bloom dynamics, and cyst structural-functional analysis.