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Acrosiphonia sp. (Green rope)
Copyright © 2006 Jan Holmes
The strands of several species of this green seaweed form entangled mats that resemble frayed rope. The individual strands have hooked lateral branches which hold the twisted mats together (these can be seen with a hand lens). Acrosiphonia is found attached to rocks or epiphytic on other algae in the mid to low intertidal zone, and can reach lengths over 25 cm (10 inches) long. The life history stage we see in the intertidal is the sexual or gametophyte stage. The asexual (sporophyte) stage is microscopic and lives symbiotically within the tissues of species of red algae.
This
page was created by Jan Holmes on 8/18/06.
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