BIOTIC Species Information for Rhodothamniella floridula
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| Researched by | Karen Riley | Data supplied by | MarLIN | ||||||||||||
| Refereed by | This information is not refereed. | ||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy | |||||||||||||||
| Scientific name | Rhodothamniella floridula | Common name | A red seaweed | ||||||||||||
| MCS Code | ZM182 | Recent Synonyms | Rhodochorton floridulum, Audouinella floridula | ||||||||||||
| Phylum | Rhodophycota | Subphylum | |||||||||||||
| Superclass | Class | Rhodophyceae | |||||||||||||
| Subclass | Florideophycidae | Order | Palmariales | ||||||||||||
| Suborder | Family | Rhodothamniellacae | |||||||||||||
| Genus | Rhodothamniella | Species | floridula | ||||||||||||
| Subspecies | |||||||||||||||
| Additional Information | |||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy References | Howson & Picton, 1997, Fish & Fish, 1996, | ||||||||||||||
| General Biology | |||||||||||||||
| Growth form | Cushion Turf Mat |
Feeding method | Photoautotroph |
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| Mobility/Movement | Permanent attachment |
Environmental position | Epibenthic Epilithic Epiphytic |
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| Typical food types | Not relevant | Habit | Attached | ||||||||||||
| Bioturbator | Not relevant | Flexibility | High (>45 degrees) | ||||||||||||
| Fragility | Intermediate | Size | Small-medium(3-10cm) | ||||||||||||
| Height | Up to 3 cm | Growth Rate | |||||||||||||
| Adult dispersal potential | None | Dependency | Independent | ||||||||||||
| Sociability | Colonial | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic/Poisonous? | No | ||||||||||||||
| General Biology Additional Information | Rhodothamniella floridula is perennial. The hair-like filaments are approximately 20-25µm in diameter. The species has been noted to trap sand and mud in a layer up to 5cm thick (Lobban & Wynne, 1981). Dixon & Irvine (1977) observed that the growth of Rhodothamniella floridula (as Audouinella floridula) is much faster in winter, whilst in the summer the spongy cushion can become bleached or disrupted. |
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| Biology References | Hayward et al., 1996, Lobban & Wynne, 1981, Connor et al., 1997(b), Dixon & Irvine, 1977, | ||||||||||||||
| Distribution and Habitat | |||||||||||||||
| Distribution in Britain & Ireland | Rhodothamniella floridula occurs on the coast of Scotland, the north east, south and south west coasts of England and in Wales and Northern Ireland. | ||||||||||||||
| Global distribution | Occurs in northwest Europe | ||||||||||||||
| Biogeographic range | Not researched | Depth range | Littoral to 5m | ||||||||||||
| Migratory | Non-migratory / Resident | ||||||||||||||
| Distribution Additional Information | Rhodothamniella floridula has been found on substrata other than sandy rock. For example, in St. Andrews Bay, Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton spp.) occurred in tufts on %Halidrys siliquosa% (a brown seaweed) and in pools where %Fabricia sabella% (a polychaete worm) was common (Laverack & Blackler, 1974). In Co. Kerry, Ireland Rhodothamniella floridula (as Audouinella floridula) was also found growing on peat masses, where it binds the peat and sand together (Murphy, 1981). | ||||||||||||||
| Substratum preferences | Bedrock Large to very large boulders Small boulders Rockpools |
Physiographic preferences | Open coast Enclosed coast / Embayment Strait / sound |
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| Biological zone | Upper Littoral Fringe Lower Littoral Fringe Upper Eulittoral |
Wave exposure | Moderately Exposed Sheltered Very Sheltered |
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| Tidal stream strength/Water flow | Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn) |
Salinity | Full (30-40 psu) |
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| Habitat Preferences Additional Information | |||||||||||||||
| Distribution References | Murphy, 1981, Hayward et al., 1996, Connor et al., 1997(b), Dickinson, 1963, Dixon & Irvine, 1977, Laverack & Blackler, 1974, Hardy & Guiry, 2003, | ||||||||||||||
| Reproduction/Life History | |||||||||||||||
| Reproductive type | Oogamous |
Developmental mechanism | Spores (sexual / asexual) |
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| Reproductive Season | Insufficient information | Reproductive Location | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
| Reproductive frequency | Regeneration potential | No | |||||||||||||
| Life span | 6-10 years | Age at reproductive maturity | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
| Generation time | Insufficient information | Fecundity | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
| Egg/propagule size | Insufficient information | Fertilization type | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
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| Reproduction Preferences Additional Information | Life span No information was found concerning the longevity of Rhodothamniella floridula. However, it is likely to have a life span of 5-10 years, similar to other red seaweeds, such as Furcellaria lumbricalis. Reproductive type Dickinson (1963) and Dixon & Irvine (1977) found that asexual Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton floridulum and Audouinella floridula respectively) plants bear cruciate tetrasporangia. The tetrasporangia are ovoid and are arranged on the upper parts of the erect axes, occurring singly or in clusters (Dixon & Irvine, 1977). Stegenga (1978) found that tetraspores of cultured Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton floridulum) measured up to 35 x 30 µm. He also noted that these were formed under all combinations of temperatures from 4 °C to 16 °C at any length of daylight. A tetrasporophyte, rather than a carposporophyte, of Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton floridulum) develops directly from the fertilised carpogonium with only one erect filament and one rhizoid (Lobban & Wynne, 1981, Cole & Sheath, 1990). Stegenga (1978) observed that gametophytes of Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton floridulum) were unisexual and possessed a unicellular base from which only one filament arose. It is also known that the subclass Florideophyceae specialise in oogamous reproduction in which the zygote is returned on the female gametophyte, giving rise to complex post-fertilisation development, known as the carposporophyte. Observations on Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton floridulum) showed that the tetraspores germinate to give gametangial plants which were small compared with the tetrasporangial phase (Knaggs & Conway, 1964) Fecundity Red algae are typically high fecund, but their spores are non-motile (Norton, 1992) and therefore highly reliant on the hydrodynamic regime for dispersal. Stegenga (1978) noted that tetrasporangia germinated in 'rather low numbers', but most abundantly at high temperatures and long days. Timing of reproduction Dixon & Irvine (1977) noted that the greatest abundance of tetrasporangia occurred between November and March. Furthermore, Rhodothamniella floridula (as Rhodochorton spp.) are present throughout the year (Laverack & Blackler, 1974). However, Stegenga (1978) found that there were no tetrasporangia present during the winter. |
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| Reproduction References | Lobban & Wynne, 1981, Stegenga, 1978, Dickinson, 1963, Dixon & Irvine, 1977, Cole & Sheath, 1990, Knaggs & Conway, 1964, Norton, 1992, Laverack & Blackler, 1974, | ||||||||||||||
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