#1054 - 1065 - Red Algae
#1054 - Claviclonium ovatum
Type species of a genus of red algae first described in 1983. Grows on limestone and limey debris.
Falcon, again. I suspect a lot of these seaweed species were growing on the limestone reef at the corner of the beach.
#1055 - Curdiea sp.
An unusual red seaweed with thick rubbery fronds with in-rolled edges. I had no idea what it was, until I chanced upon a photo of the same species taken a few meters from where I found this one.
Might be C. irvineae or obesa
Point Peron, Perth
#1056 - Dicranema revolutum
A common epiphyte on Amphibolis wireweed seagrass. Indeed, the logo of the Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany is this red alga on Amphibolis.
Safety Bay, Perth
#1057 - Euptilota articulata
A bushy red seaweed with tough, thick stipes. Fairly variable in appearance, depending strongly on age of the plant, rate of growth, and new growth on older partially denuded plants.
Found on rougher coastlines from Geraldton and the Houtman Albrolhos in WA, to Coffs Harbour and Lord Howe I. in New South Wales, and also in Eastern Tamania.
Falcon, Perth
#1058 - Gelinaria ulvoidea
A soft and slimy algae that grows in deeper water. Rather battered and sun-bleached, here. It’s supposed to be a dark burgundy or at least reddish-brown sort-of-colour.
Found from Yanchep (just north of Perth) to Walkerville, Victoria, and the north coast of Tasmania.
Port Kennedy, Perth
#1059 - Gelidium sp. turf
A turf-forming red algae, in this case on the limestone platforms at Point Peron.
According to wiki, common names for this genus include tengusa, makusa, genso, niu mau tsai, japansche scheleiachtige mos, steen-or klipbloem, hay tsay, olus marinus, sajur laut, tschintschau, tschoo-hoae, onikusa, hirakusa, obusa, rødalge-slaegt, gelídeos, punalevä-suku, tokoroten, kanten, tokoro-tengusa, kinukusa, isingglass, hai-ten-gusa, tocoroten, tengusa-agar, limu lo-loa, hai-tengusa, onigusa, oyakusa, kanten weed, goumaocai, hime tengusa, shihua and tanmae.
As you might have guessed from that many common names, collected commercially - mostly as a source of agar. Agar is used in desserts, laxatives, as a gelatin substitute, as an appetite suppressant, as a thickener in preserves and ice cream, and as a bacterial culture medium. Chemically, it’s a galactose polymer.
#1060 - Gloiosaccion brownii - Slimy Bags
Large sausage-shaped bladders that grow from rock or attached to Amphibolis wireweed or the other red seaweed Osmundaria. I’m not sure why this one is green - they’re supposed to start off brown-red, and fade to grey-red, but I’ve also found them clear.
Found from Geraldton to Jervis Bay, around Tasmania, and the Kermadec Islands.
#1061 - Griffithsia sp.
Griffithsia ovalis maybe. Yet another red algae I found at Falcon. Grows epiphytically on seagrasses and larger seaweeds. G. ovalis is native to shallow water from the Houtman Abrolhos, W. Aust., to Kangaroo Island, S. Aust.
1062 - Hennedya crispa
These one has dried out a bit and turned brown, but does show the tough, woody stipe that holds the ruffled frond above the seafloor.
When it’s fresher, it’s a deep red. It’s also host to more epizooic and epiphytic organisms than I’ve seen on any other algae.
A deepwater algae found from Geraldton and the Houtman Albrohos to Pearson Island, SA.
#1064 - Osmundaria prolifera
A dark red seaweed with a spongey, warty surface, and lateral fronds sprouting from the midline of older ones. Found from Kalbarri, WA, to Kangaroo Island, SA. As you can see, has quite a load of epizooids, mostly hydroids.
Falcon, again.
#1065 - Sarcothalia radula
Another red seaweed, with a large, wavy, translucent frond covered in tiny bumps.
And, predictably, from that beach in Falcon again. Found in Australia’s southern waters on exposed coasts, but apparently prefers low current. Possibly native to New Zealand and South Africa too - the taxonomy is confused.
Type species of a genus of red algae first described in 1983. Grows on limestone and limey debris.
Falcon, again. I suspect a lot of these seaweed species were growing on the limestone reef at the corner of the beach.
#1055 - Curdiea sp.
An unusual red seaweed with thick rubbery fronds with in-rolled edges. I had no idea what it was, until I chanced upon a photo of the same species taken a few meters from where I found this one.
Might be C. irvineae or obesa
Point Peron, Perth
#1056 - Dicranema revolutum
A common epiphyte on Amphibolis wireweed seagrass. Indeed, the logo of the Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany is this red alga on Amphibolis.
Safety Bay, Perth
#1057 - Euptilota articulata
A bushy red seaweed with tough, thick stipes. Fairly variable in appearance, depending strongly on age of the plant, rate of growth, and new growth on older partially denuded plants.
Found on rougher coastlines from Geraldton and the Houtman Albrolhos in WA, to Coffs Harbour and Lord Howe I. in New South Wales, and also in Eastern Tamania.
Falcon, Perth
#1058 - Gelinaria ulvoidea
A soft and slimy algae that grows in deeper water. Rather battered and sun-bleached, here. It’s supposed to be a dark burgundy or at least reddish-brown sort-of-colour.
Found from Yanchep (just north of Perth) to Walkerville, Victoria, and the north coast of Tasmania.
Port Kennedy, Perth
#1059 - Gelidium sp. turf
A turf-forming red algae, in this case on the limestone platforms at Point Peron.
According to wiki, common names for this genus include tengusa, makusa, genso, niu mau tsai, japansche scheleiachtige mos, steen-or klipbloem, hay tsay, olus marinus, sajur laut, tschintschau, tschoo-hoae, onikusa, hirakusa, obusa, rødalge-slaegt, gelídeos, punalevä-suku, tokoroten, kanten, tokoro-tengusa, kinukusa, isingglass, hai-ten-gusa, tocoroten, tengusa-agar, limu lo-loa, hai-tengusa, onigusa, oyakusa, kanten weed, goumaocai, hime tengusa, shihua and tanmae.
As you might have guessed from that many common names, collected commercially - mostly as a source of agar. Agar is used in desserts, laxatives, as a gelatin substitute, as an appetite suppressant, as a thickener in preserves and ice cream, and as a bacterial culture medium. Chemically, it’s a galactose polymer.
#1060 - Gloiosaccion brownii - Slimy Bags
Large sausage-shaped bladders that grow from rock or attached to Amphibolis wireweed or the other red seaweed Osmundaria. I’m not sure why this one is green - they’re supposed to start off brown-red, and fade to grey-red, but I’ve also found them clear.
Found from Geraldton to Jervis Bay, around Tasmania, and the Kermadec Islands.
#1061 - Griffithsia sp.
Griffithsia ovalis maybe. Yet another red algae I found at Falcon. Grows epiphytically on seagrasses and larger seaweeds. G. ovalis is native to shallow water from the Houtman Abrolhos, W. Aust., to Kangaroo Island, S. Aust.
1062 - Hennedya crispa
These one has dried out a bit and turned brown, but does show the tough, woody stipe that holds the ruffled frond above the seafloor.
When it’s fresher, it’s a deep red. It’s also host to more epizooic and epiphytic organisms than I’ve seen on any other algae.
A deepwater algae found from Geraldton and the Houtman Albrohos to Pearson Island, SA.
#1064 - Osmundaria prolifera
A dark red seaweed with a spongey, warty surface, and lateral fronds sprouting from the midline of older ones. Found from Kalbarri, WA, to Kangaroo Island, SA. As you can see, has quite a load of epizooids, mostly hydroids.
Falcon, again.
#1065 - Sarcothalia radula
Another red seaweed, with a large, wavy, translucent frond covered in tiny bumps.
And, predictably, from that beach in Falcon again. Found in Australia’s southern waters on exposed coasts, but apparently prefers low current. Possibly native to New Zealand and South Africa too - the taxonomy is confused.