Codium fragile fragile (Marine Algae of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Adjacent Islands)

Codium fragile fragile

Description ¹³

Codium fragile fragile is a dark green seaweed composed of erect, dichotomously branched fronds. These may be up to 1 m in length. The branches are round in cross section but may be flattened beneath dichotomies of branches. The branches are soft with a velvety texture. The fronds usually arise from a spongy disc-shaped holdfast. The subspecies of Codium fragile found in Britain are only distinguishable microscopically.This alien species originated in the Pacific Ocean around Japan. It was introduced from mainland Europe to the River Yealm in Devon in 1939. It has been found to displace native species of Codium tomentosum.

There is extreme difficulty in distinguishing subspecies from each other. When viewed in section under a microscope, the utricles are shorter and stouter in the tomentosoides subspecies than in the Codium fragile subspecies atlanticum. Work by Provan et al. (2005) identified the species initially by the presence of numerous pointed spines on the surface of the alga, and by subsequent DNA sequencing. This non-native species is known to occur in a number of marine Special Areas of Conservation (mSACs), in the UK e.g. Pembrokeshire. The impacts or rate of dispersal are not known due to earlier morphological confusion with native species.

Habitat ¹⁴

Codium fragile fragile grows in high densities and can dominate canopy species in infralittoral rocky reef communities.

Habitat ¹⁵

Depth range based on 30 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 3 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 4.9
  Temperature range (°C): 15.195 - 16.004
  Nitrate (umol/L): 2.839 - 5.113
  Salinity (PPS): 34.935 - 35.086
  Oxygen (ml/l): 5.952 - 5.967
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.637 - 0.709
  Silicate (umol/l): 6.100 - 6.221

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 4.9

Temperature range (°C): 15.195 - 16.004

Nitrate (umol/L): 2.839 - 5.113

Salinity (PPS): 34.935 - 35.086

Oxygen (ml/l): 5.952 - 5.967

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.637 - 0.709

Silicate (umol/l): 6.100 - 6.221

Note: this information has not been validated. Check this note. Your feedback is most welcome.

Sources and Credits

(c) National Park Service, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/npsncbn/8392906962/
(c) Jerry Kirkhart, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkirkhart35/2132259079/
(c) Marshal Hedin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/23660854@N07/4363869437/
(c) tsoleau, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/23535767@N04/5376997296
(c) Sarah Webb, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Sarah Webb
(c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=92701
(c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=92883
(c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=92884
(c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=92885
(c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=92704
Flyingdream, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Codiumfragile.jpg
(c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10657553
(c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10657554
Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/17338792

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