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“What’s It All About, Algae”?
Looking for a quick course on Phycology (algology if you’re from the
Old World)? Indonesia's got the
goods on all but the giant kelps. Here’s a short picture story on what to
expect:
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Greens (Division Chlorophyta), what most folks
think of as Algae… Important as foods, hiding places (you’ll be richly
rewarded here for looking closely, then even more closely!). Pictured
below: a healthy bunch of Caulerpa racemosa, C. serrulata, C. webbiana
just to mention three of the same genus found here.
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More Specifically:
| Caulerpa racemosa,
Green Grape Algae. |
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| Chlorodesmis fastigiata, Turtle Weed... common in the
wild in reef places, especially where damaged or polluted. |
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Halimeda species are crusty, calcified algae
that look like a bunch of small platelets strung together in a chain.
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Here's a cactus-like articulated algae, Halimeda
discoidea... a favorite haunt of the like-named Halimeda Ghost
Pipefish, Solenostomus armatus (right), some camouflage job
now! |
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| Tydemania expeditionis Weber-van Bosse
1901, which I like to call "Dread-Locks Algae", for obvious reasons.
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| Valonia (Ventricaria) ventricosa is often noted as the
"largest single-celled alga" reaching a hen's egg in size... but
it is actually a multinucleate vesicle held down by attachment rhizoids. Dictyosphaeria
species, in the same group, Order Siphonales, are similar with
polygonal vesicles, versus lenticular ones for Valonia. Mithrax/Emerald
Green Crabs may eat these. |
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Red Algae, the Rhodophyta of Indo.:
| Reds can be leaf-like, filamentous, or encrusting as hard
pieces or flat sheets. Some species are of extreme importance in
reef-building, serving to hold living and non-living components together
in all weather through eons. Shown: Peyssonniela and Rhodymenia sp. |
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| Galaxaura sp. A less than red admittedly
specimen in S. Sulawesi. |
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| Laurencia sp. Here in S. Sulawesi. |
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Brown Algae, The Phaeophyes:
| Dictyota species, cold to cool to tropical species
(plural). Some examples of colonies, the second covered in bryozoans. |
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Lobophora variegata, Encrusting Fan-Leaf Algae. Fan-shaped blades
that encrust rock. Occur in brown, red, green colors |
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Real/Vascular Plants:
| Yes, there are "true" plants in
the sea... most known as "Seagrasses". Unlike the lowly algae,
plants have functional roots, leaves, transporting tubules (xylem,
phloem), flowers (seasonally) and seeds... Here's a common one for our
area, the aptly-named Paddle Weed, Halophila ovalis. |
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| Thalassia hemprichii, Seagrass. Here in S. Sulawesi
on the top of the reef flat and crest. |
.JPG) |
Oh, and Blue Green "Algae", Actually Bacteria:
| Usually black to dark blue and always slimy to
the touch, Blue Green Algae, aka Cyanobacteria are sheets, slimes, threads
and more of ancient organisms... Mostly found in areas that have been
heavily damaged... by anchoring, siltation, chemical pollution. |
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Bibliography/Further Reference:
http://www.botany.ubc.ca/people/rob/sulawesi.html
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