Ruff,-T.A. Ciguatera in the Pacific: A link with military activities. LANCET. 1989. vol. 1, no. 8631, pp. 201- 204. Ciguatera fish poisoning is widespread in the Pacific. The dinoflagellate species usually implicated in ciguatera is Gambierdiscus toxicus , the predominant benthic dinoflagellate in Pacific coral reefs. Outbreaks and the rise in incidence of the disease are related largely to military activities that disturb coral reef ecology. Nuclear test explosions and the setting up of the infrastructure for these tests are major components of such military activity.