Codium bursa is a green marine algae of medium size.
Codium bursa is a marine alga growing to 30 cm across. It generally appears as a spongy sphere of utricles which at the surface form a cortex. It is composed of loosely packed filaments which at the surface form a cortex of utricles which are single celled bladder-like or club-shaped structures.[1] It has a velvety texture and is dark green in colour. The alga is attached by a holdfast of filaments.[2]
In the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to the British Isles,[3] where they perhaps are originating further south, since C. bursa is very persistent in drift. In Ireland the most recent record was in 1977 from County Donegal.[4] also recorded from other countries in Europe.[2] In the Mediterranean often found accompanying the seagrass Posidonia oceanica and commonly found beachcast amongst leaves of Posidonia oceanica.
Codium bursa grows sublittorally attached to rock to 10 m deep in the Atlantic Ocean[2] and up to 50 meters deep in the Mediterranean Sea.[3]