Fucus ceranoides explained

Fucus ceranoides is a species of brown algae found in the littoral zone of the sea shore.^[1]

Description

Fucus ceranoides is a species similar to other species of Fucus. It is linear to about 1 cm wide and is attached by a discoid holdfast. The branches grow to a length of 60 cm and show a clear midrib. Its margin is entire and it differs from Fucus serratus in not having a serrated edge and unlike Fucus vesiculosus it does not have air vesicles, however irregular swellings gives it a resemblance to F. vesiculosus. Fucus spiralis has spirally twisted fronds.^{[2] [3]}

Distribution

Fucoids have no planktonic dispersal stages, restricting gamete dispersal.^[4] They can be found on the shores of Ireland and Great Britain including the Isle of Man and Shetland.^[3]

Habitat

Fucus ceranoides is restricted to estuarine intertidal habitats under fluctuating salinities. The modern distribution of Fucus ceranoides ranges from Portugal to Norway and Iceland. ^{[5] [6] [7]} This includes the rocky shores in the littoral generally where fresh water flows into the sea, brackish water in sheltered bays.^{[2] [3] [8]}

Notes and References

1. Lewis, J.R. 1964. The Ecology of Rocky Shores. The English Universities Press Ltd.
2. Newton, L. 1931. A Handbook of the British Seaweeds. British Museum, London
3. Hardy, F.G. and Guiry, M.D. 2003. A Check-list and Atlas of the Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. British Phycological Society
4. Serrão . E.A. . Kautsky . L. . Lifvergren . T. . Brawley . S.H. . Susan Brawley. 1996 . Gamete dispersal and pre-recruitment mortality in Baltic Fucus vesiculosus . Phycologia . Suppl 36. 101–102.
5. Neiva. João. Pearson. Gareth A.. Valero. Myriam. Serrão. Ester A.. 2012-01-18. Drifting fronds and drifting alleles: range dynamics, local dispersal and habitat isolation shape the population structure of the estuarine seaweed Fucus ceranoides. Journal of Biogeography. 39. 6. 1167–1178. 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02670.x. 0305-0270.
6. Lein. Tor Eiliv. 1984-10-31. Distribution, reproduction, and ecology of Fucus ceranoides L. (Phaeophyceae) in Norway. Sarsia. en. 69. 2. 75–81. 10.1080/00364827.1984.10420592. 0036-4827.
7. Munda. Ivka M.. 1999-02-01. The benthic algal vegetation of land-locked fjords in southeastern Iceland. Hydrobiologia. en. 393. 169–180. 10.1023/A:1003565309759. 1573-5117.
8. Morton . O . 2003 . The marine macroalgae of County Donegal, Ireland . Bulletin Irish biogeographical Society . 27 . 3–164 .