Home / Rhodophyceae / Macroreds / Crouania
Click on images for larger format
Name derivation:
After French brothers H.M. and P.L. Crouan, phycologists who studied Caribbean seaweeds (Dawes and Mathieson 2008).
Classification:
Crouania J. Agardh 1842; 17 of 33 species descriptions are currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 2016). Class Florideophyceae; Order Ceramiales; Family Callithamniaceae
Morphology:
Erect uniseriate bushy thallus up to 5 cm long, attached by rhizoids from basal cells. Exude a jelly-like matrix that may have calcium carbonate. Abundant branching; branchlets taper toward tips (Dawes and Mathieson 2008).
Similar genera:
Mesogloia C. Agardh 1824
Habitat:
Subtropical to tropical marine shores, common, entangled with other seaweeds or epiphytic on seagrass (Ibid.)
References:
Dawes, C.J. and A.C. Mathieson 2008. Seaweeds of Florida. University Press of Florida (592 pp). Guiry, M.D., and G.M. Guiry 2016. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 16 January 2013.