Melobesia membranacea explained

Melobesia membranacea is a small marine alga encrusting on the surface of other algae. In the division of the Rhodophyta.

Description

This small marine algae grows lightly encrusting as a thin epiphyte on other algae growing to 5 cm in diameter and c 90 micrometre thick. Conceptacles small but raised and visible.^[1]

Reproduction

Carposporangial and tetrasporangial conceptacles are common.^[1]

Habitat

Very common growing epiphytically on other algae in the littoral and sublittoral on Furcellaria, Mastocarpus stellatus, Chondrus and other algae, in the low littoral and sub-littoral.^[1]

Distribution

Common all around the British Isles, including the Isle of Man and the Shetland Islands.^[2] Holland to Cape Verde, Mediterranean, Canada, East Coast of the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.^[1]

Notes and References

1. Irvine, L. and Chamberlain, Y.M. 1994. Seaweeds of the British Isles. Volume 1 Rhodophyta Part 2B Corallinales, Hildenbrandiales The Natural History Museum, London.
2. Hardy, F.G. and Guiry, M.D. 2003. A Check-list and Atlas of the Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. British Phycological Society