PORT PHILLIP BAY


Red Seaweed 

Acrosorium ciliolatum

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Hooked branch end is characteristic of this species. May be confused with Hymenena multipartite which has more regular branching and lacks hooked branch ends.

Main information sources:
Womersley, H.B.S., (1984-2003). The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia. Part 1-3d. Govt. Printer, South Australia.
Baldock, R.N. 2010. Algae Revealed. South Australian State Herbarium. Website.
AlgaeBase. Website.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Rhodophyta
Subphylum:
Eurhodophytina
Class:
Florideophyceae
Subclass:
Rhodymeniophycidae
Order:
Ceramiales
Family:
Delesseriaceae
Genus:
Acrosorium
Species:
ciliolatum

General Description

Thin, flattened blades. Blade tips often hooked (uncinated). Branching is on one plane (complinate) with an irregular alternate pattern. Blade tips (apices) rounded through to pointed (acute). Can have short hair-like projections arranged sparsely on blade edges or surface. Holdfast of root-like (rhizoidal) pads. Light to medium red. Up to 6 cm long (thallus).

Biology

This species usually grows as an epiphyte, on seagrass and other algae.

Habitat

Subtidal reef, sheltered to rough waters, to depth of 30 m.

Reefs

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

Worldwide.

Species Group

Seaweeds and seagrasses Red algae

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6 cm

Diet

Photosynthetic - sunlight

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Pocklington, Jacqui

Jacqui Pocklington is a Research Associate with expertise in algal taxonomy.

citation

Cite this page as:
Pocklington, Jacqui, 2011, Red Seaweed, Acrosorium ciliolatum, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 01 May 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/12335

Text: creative commons cc by licence