Lophocladia lallemandii

Appearance

It is a filamentous red algae, up to 15 cm tall. It usually appears as a bush of red, pink or whitish filaments intertwined with each other or with other algae. Axes and segmented branches (almost equal height to width) arranged pseudodicotomically.

Naming

Homotypic Synonym(s):
Dasya lallemandii Montagne 1849
Baillouviana lallemandii (Montagne) Kuntze 1891

Distribution

Originary from the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific, this species was introduced into the Mediterranean and many other locations via shipping through the Suez Canal.

Habitat

Epiphyte that can grow on other algae or invertebrate species. L. lallemandii grows on a wide range of substrates, including Posidonia oce­anica meadows where it induces shoot mortality and affects the invertebrate community.