BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Corallina officinalis
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Dr Harvey Tyler-Walters	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	Dr Thomas Wiedemann
General Biology
Growth form	Articulate Crustose hard Pinnate Turf	Feeding method	Photoautotroph
Mobility/Movement	Permanent attachment	Environmental position	Epifloral
Typical food types	Not relevant	Habit	Attached
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	Low (10-45 degrees)
Fragility	Intermediate	Size	Medium(11-20 cm)
Height		Growth Rate	2.2 mm / month
Adult dispersal potential	None	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Gregarious
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	The biology of articulate corallines was reviewed by Johanssen (1974). In culture Corallina officinalis fronds exhibited an average growth rate of 2.2 mm/month at 12 and 18 deg C. Growth rate was only 0.2 mm/month at 6 deg C and no growth was observed at 25 deg C (Colhart & Johanssen 1973). The crustose holdfast or base is perennial and grows apically, similar to encrusting corallines such as Lithothamnia sp.. The basal crust may grow continuously until stimulated to produce fronds (Littler & Kauker 1984; Colhart & Johanssen 1973). Growth rates may be comparable to encrusting corallines, for example, 2 -7mm per year was reported for Lithophyllum incrustans (Littler 1972). Fronds are highly sensitive to desiccation and do not recover from an 15 percent water loss, which might occur within 40 -45 minutes during a spring tide in summer (Wiedemann 1994). Littler & Kauker (1984) suggest that the crustose bases were adapted to resist grazing and desiccation whereas the fronds were adapted for higher primary productivity and reproduction. Corallina officinalis may support epiphytes, including Mesophyllum lichenoides, Titanoderma pustulatum, and Titanoderma corallinae, the latter causing tissue damage (Irvine & Chamberlain 1994). Corallina officinalis may be overgrown by epiphytes, especially during summer. This overgrowth regularly leads to high mortality of fronds due to light reduction (Wiedemann pers comm.). Other, crustose corallines produce anti-epiphytal substances, like e.g. allelopathics (Suzuki et al. 1998), however, this type of substance has not been found yet in Corallina officinalis.
Biology References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Irvine & Chamberlain, 1994, Dickinson, 1963, Colhart & Johanssen, 1973, Johansen, 1974, Littler, 1972, Littler & Kauker, 1984, Dommasnes, 1968, Bamber & Irving, 1993, Wiedemann, 1994, Padilla, 1984, Rosenvinge, 1917,