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Trees- ShrubsHarpoon-Alga ( Asparagopsis armata )
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Asparagopsis armata has a cylindrical axis which reaches a height of 100-150mm; four rows of branches alternate with simpler branches found on the extremities (1; 2). The thallus is erect with prominent major axes, and reaches up to 300mm (1); it is bare in the lower sections, but densely covered in the upper regions. The apical tufts are formed from spiral branches, and some axes convert into short-spiny axes, which reach 100mm in length (1). As the name suggests, the harpoon-alga uses the harpoons contained within its branches to attach onto other algae (1); it has a yellowish-pink to whitish-pink colouration (1).
There are four species within the genus Asparagopsis; A. armata, A. delilei, A. svedelii and A. taxiformis (3). Only A. svedelii is listed under the IUCN Redlist (4).
The Harpoon-Alga is found in the sub-littoral zone, or occasionally in deeper pools of the littoral zone; it is also mainly found on other algaes (1).
A. armata is widely distributed and found in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indo-Pacific (1).
A. armata uses photosynthesis, as well as requiring various inorganic nutrients, such as carbon dioxide, phosphorus and fixed nitrogen (2).
Not listed under the IUCN Redlist (4).
Description written by Ben Harvey (2009)
(1) Cabioc’H, J., Floc’H, J. & Le Toquin, A., 1992. Guide mes algues des mers d’Europe. Paris: Delachaux et Niestle.
(2) Graham, L.E. & Wilcox, L.W., 2000. Algae. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.
(3) ITIS, 2009. ITIS Standard Report Page: Asparagopsis. [Online] Available at: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=11772 [Accessed 02 September 2009].
(4) IUCN, 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [Online] (2009.1) Available at: www.iucnredlist.org [Accessed 01 September 2009].
