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A total of 512 samples collected from 86 Hungarian water bodies were analyzed for Dinophyta species and compared to common limnological characteristics. Temperature and organic matter content were the most important factors controlling the occurrence of Dinophyta species. Total phosphorus and conductivity were of lesser importance. On average, seven to eight taxa of Dinophyta were recorded in individual samples at a temperature of 12–18 °C and a CODMn < than 5 mg l-1. Usually five to seven Dinophyta taxa were recorded at a temperature of 22–26 °C and CODMn > than 10 mg l-1. The most important genera were Peridiniopsis, Cleistoperidinium and Ceratium. A two-factor principal component model explained 72% of the total variance within the data set. The first principal component explained 75 and 85% of the total variance within the temperature and organic matter variables. A cluster analysis, using within-group linkages, resulted in five groups of organisms that differed primarily with respect to their distribution along a temperature gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]