Phyllophora sicula
Appearance
Phyllophora sicula | |
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A specimen of Phyllophora sicula | |
Scientific classification | |
Clade: | Archaeplastida |
Division: | Rhodophyta |
Class: | Florideophyceae |
Order: | Gigartinales |
Family: | Phyllophoraceae |
Genus: | Phyllophora |
Species: | P. sicula
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Binomial name | |
Phyllophora sicula (Kützing) Guiry & L.M.Irvine
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Phyllophora sicula, the hand leaf bearer, is a small red marine alga.[1]
Description
[edit]This small red alga grows to a length of 20 mm (0.8 in), erect from a disc shaped holdfast. It has a short, erect, terete stipe which expands as a flattened blade branching once or twice. The blades have a cartilaginous texture with a medulla of large cells within a cortex of one or two layers of small cells.[2][3]
Reproduction
[edit]Gametangial plants are unknown. Tetrasporangial patches occur in the center of the blade.[3]
Habitat
[edit]It is found in rock pools of the lower littoral and in the sublittoral to depths of 12 m (39 ft).[3]
Distribution
[edit]It is generally recorded from the southwest of Great Britain, Ireland, Portugal, and elsewhere in the Mediterranean.[3] The type locality is in Italy.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Phyllophora sicula". AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ Dixon, P.S. and Irvine, L.M. 1977. Seaweeds of the British Isles Volume 1 Rhodophyta Part 1 Introduction, Nemaliales, Gigartinales. British Museum, LondonISBN 0-565-00781-5
- ^ a b c d Bunker F.StD., Brodie, J.A., Maggs,C.A. and Bunker, A.R. 2017. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. Second Edition Wild Nature Press, Plymouth, UK.ISBN 978-0-9955673-3-7