Common Name: Coralline Algae
Scientific Name: Corallina
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Echinodermata
- among the most colorful, very old group over 600 million years old. There are about 7,000 extant species.
Class: Rhodophyceae
Order: N/A
Family:Corallinaceae (Coralline Algae)
Looks/Characteristics: Calcifued thallus that takes a variety of shapes. Color varies from light to intense reddish-pink, while dead ones are white.
Live: Generally found in the British Isle.
Habitat: They inhabit shallow water, like turf pool, wet gullies, up to 18m deep. The deepest recorded Coralline algae was found in Continental Europe at 29m deep. Coralline algae are normally found on mollusks shells or macro algae. They thrive in temperate and polar waters.
Diet: Bacteria
Size/Weight: They grow to be 12 cm high, and 70mm in diameter.
Reproductive Cycle: They reproduce
both sexually as gametophytes and asexually as sporophytes and carposporophytes. It takes place in small chambers on the
alga's surface.
Breeding/Mating Season:N/A
Parental Involvement: After being released there is not parental involvement.
Interesting Facts:
- Largest group of seaweed
- Coralline algae prevents other algae from growing
- The bright colors add value to tank raised live rock
- Coralline covered rocks will seed reef aquariums
- Mixed colors of coralline algae are rare in nature
- Used in medicine
