Tag Archives: Phaeophyta

Alaria marginata: drilly kelp–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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amarginataAlaria marginata is recognized because the sporophyll length is less than 5 times its width, and its found in the lower intertidal and subtidal regions from Alaska to Monterey, California. In Race Rocks area, Alaria marginata‘s habitat is the north area of the island. Its located at 0 level tide (rocky intertidal or low tide zone). Its long stipes are usually destroyed by the waves pushing the kelp against the rocks. The broken pieces desintegrate in the sea water. Alaria tends to out-compete in areas of high- wave action. In summer time, when the tide is considerably low, and the sun is too harsh for the organisms that are living in tidepools, the life of these pools migrates down, and hides under the  Alaria marginata kelp. The kelp protects these organisms. The reproductive sporophytes are low on the blade. They contain a chemical that discourages gazing.One of the uses for this kelp is to harvest it and sell it for food. People eat it with salads, or cooked. Alaria marginata is one of the seven species which represent the winged kelp Alaria (Latin: wing) in this area. Each species consists of a branched holdfast that gives rise to a stipe up to 60 cm. long but usually less than 30cm. Arranged along the upper third of the stipe are two rows of sporophylls of various sizes .

and shapes. Alaria marginata is from 2 – 3 metres or -10 feet long.
Classification:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Phaeophyta
Order: Laminariales
Family: Alariceae
Genus: Alaria
Species: marginata
Common Name: Short stipe alaria or drilly kelp
Other Phaeophytes or Brown Algae at Race Rocks

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Constanza Holzapfel Dec.12, 2002

 

Endocladia muricata : bristle algae–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Description: This plant is erect, 4-8 cm. tall, profusely and irregularly branched, usually growing in tufts, and dark red to blackish or greenish brown in colour. The branches are cylindrical, about 0.5 mm. in diameter and covered with minute conical spines about 0.5 mm. in length.
Habitat:  On rocks in the upper intertidal zone.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to Mexico.
Robert Scagel, 1972


Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Rhodophyceae
Order: Cryptonemiales
Family: Endocladiaceae
Endocladia muricata (Harvey) J. Agardh

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Dec 2001–Ryan Murphy  PC.

 

Alaria nana : Brown intertidal algae

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Alaria nana

Alaria nana dessiccating at low tide

Alaria nana dessiccating at low tide


Classification:
Empire Eukaryota
Kingdom Chromista
Phylum Ochrophyta
Class Phaeophyceae
Order Laminariales
Family Alariaceae
Genus Alaria
Species nana
Description: The plant is olive brown to yellowish-brown in colour with a conspicuous blade (eroded at maturity), stipe, and holdfast. The holdfast is made up of short, firm root-like structures and is 3-7 cm. long, 5-8 mm. in diameter, merging into a slightly compressed rachis 2-4 cm. long. The rachis in turn merges into the blade, which is linear, tapering gradually to the apex and abruptly to the rachis; the blade is 40-60 cm. long and 3-8 cm. wide with a conspicuous, solid percurrent midrib 4-6 mm. wide.
Habitat: On rocks in the middle and upper intertidal zones in exposed areas.. This species grows at or around zero tide level at Race Rocks. WHen battered by waves and swell it often gets a tattered appearance.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to California. –Robert Scagel, 1972

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Species List for the West Side of the Race Rocks Jetty , 2005

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This list was compiled by Pam Thuringer of Archipelago Marine on May12, 2005. She examined the west side of the docks exposed at a 0.35m tide as part of the Environmental Impact assessment for the Tidal Current Project.

Invertebrates Balanus glandula many
Semibalanus cariosus many
Hemigrapsus nudis few
Mytilus californianus few
Sponge ( orange encrusting species) few
Katharina tunicata few
Littorina scutulata many
Tectura persona few
Lottia pelta few
Anthopleura elegantissima few
Lirubuccinum dirum few
General Group Species Occurence
Brn. Algae Nereocystis luetkeana sparse
Fucus sp. sparse
Leathesia difformis sparse
Hedophyllum sessile abundant
Alaria marginata abundant
Costaria costata few
Red Algae Mazzaella splendans few
Mastocarpus pappilatus sparse
Halosaccion glandiforme few
Lithothamnion sp. few
Odonthalia floccosa sparse
Polysiphonia sp. sparse
Coralline algae. several species sparse
Porphyra perforata sparse
Endocladia muricata sparse
Green Algae Ulva sp. sparse
Acrosiphonia sp. few

Pterygophora californica -brown algae- The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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“The number of living creatures of all orders whose existence intimately depends on kelp is wonderful…I can only compare those great aquatic forests…with terrestrial ones in the intertropical regions. Yet if in any country a forest was destroyed, I do not believe nearly so many species would perish as would here from the destruction of kelp”

Thus commented Charles Darwin on kelp. Pterygophora californica commonly known as stalked kelp) which is part of the great kelp family that act as the trees of the oceans. This species is present, amongst other places, at Race Rocks.

BIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS: Ryan Murphy, (PC yr 26) obtained a grant from Mount Allison University in June of 2002 to help him do a project on macroalgae at Race Rocks. In this video below , he captures some of the many epiphytes growing on the perennial Pterygophora californica, a brown algae which grows sub-tidally to a depth of 12 meters at Race Rocks. It is a valuable habitat for the many invertebrates in the subtidal and serves as a buffer to storm surges. From June 2-14 a group of students from Pearson College stayed at Race Rocks for the Johan Ashuvud project. Meet the webcrew here

 

Like other kelp species, this one can mostly be found in subtidal zones. It occurs in subtidal zones mostly up to 12 meters of depth. It is mostly found therefore in subsurface canopies of kelp forests. For this reason it is able to live well around the islands of Race Rocks. The Stalked Kelp grows up to 2 meters in length. It has a straight or gnarled, woody undivided stalk and smooth , strap-like blades extending on opposite sides from the top half of the stalk . The end of the stalk results in a terminal blade with midrib and the stalk develops rings as the years go by similar to those of a tree. Pterygophora is an excellent example of a long -lived perennial seaweed. The blades usually degenerate or wear away in winter and new ones are produced each spring. Often, violent winter storms tear up some of the anchored kelp and deposit it on beaches as in the photo above.

Stalked kelp can reach an age over 17 years. It is possible to find out the exact age of a stalked kelp plant by cutting it down (best to use drift ones that are already detached) and counting the rings in its stalk. At Race Rocks this type of kelp provides habitat for a number of fish and invertebrates and a large community of epiphytic algae.

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protoctista
Phylum: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Alariaceae
Genus: Pterygophora
Species: californica (Ruprecht)
Common Name: Stalked Kelp

Description:  This plant has a large stout holdfast of branched root-like structures, and a woody stipe up to 2 m. long and 2 cm. in diameter.  The stipe is terete below and flattened at the apex.  A terminal flat, smooth blade arises from the apex of the stipe; it is linear, 6-10 cm. wide, 60-90 cm. long, and tapers in the attachment region.  Sporophylls are pinnately arranged along the two sides of the flattened portion of the stipe.  The sporophylls are linear, approximately the same shape and size as the terminal blade; up to 20 occur on each side.

Habitat:  On rocks in the upper subtidal zone and down to a depth of about 5 fathoms.

Pacific Coast Distribution:  British Columbia to Mexico.

Reference:
Guide to Common Seaweeds of British Columbia, by R.F Scagel, Printed by K.M Macdonald,1972

pterpile

In the winter storms the woody Pterygophora stipes or stems often end up in drifts on the rocky beach. This photo was taken by G.Fletcher in February 2007.

pterostaranem

The stars on the stipe of Pterygophora were made by a sea urchin grazing. . Photo by Ryan Murphy

oct2011xsectptery

Annual rings in a cross-section of the stipe of Pterygophora : G Fletcher photo
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. -Ryan Murphy  PC yr 26

 

Ralfsia pacifica- brown algae

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Phylum: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Chordariales
Family: Ralfsiaceae
Ralfsia pacifica (Hollenberg)

Description: This plant forms a flat encrusting layer, firmly attached to the substrate; it is irregularly circular in outline, often lobed at the margin, 2-12 cm. in diameter, 0.5-1.0 cm. thick, and olive brown to black in colour; surface with radial or concentric rings.

Habitat:  On rocks and shells in the middle and lower intertidal zones.

Pacific Coast Distribution:  Alaska to Mexico.

Robert Scagel, 1972

R. pacifica with several rhodophytes in a tide pool

R. pacifica with several rhodophytes in a tide pool

Analipus japonicus

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Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Protoctista
Division Phaeophyta (Brown algae)
Class Phaeophyceae
Order Chordariales
Family Chordariaceae
Genus Analipus
Species japonicus (Harvey) Wynne
Common Name: thickly leaved rockweed

Description: This plant has one or more erect axes arising from a common conspicuous, lobed, encrusting holdfast. The erect portion has a percurrent cylindrical axis, up to 30 cm. high, clothed on all sides with short cylindrical to flattened branchlets up to 3 cm. long; light tan to dark brown in colour.
Habitat: On rocks in the middle and lower intertidal zones.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Bering Sea to California, (Robert Scagel, 1972)

General Characteristics
Analipus japonicus is found in the upper intertidal area frequently on rocks exposed to moderately heavy surf. This brown alga possesses a thallus of light brown color that supports branches up to 35 cm tall. Until recently, the species has been considered to be rare as it was represented by only two or three patches at Race Rocks. It is now becoming more abundant,(2002) on both the western shelf near peg 6 and the north-eastern corner near peg 15.

Reproduction Patterns
Development of the brown alga Analipus japonicus exhibits a pronounced seasonal pattern in many regions of the world. In winter and spring, this alga is found only as prostrate crusts; erect axes develop during the summer and fall. Reproduction is chiefly asexual and takes place from July to November. Unilocular sporangiate plants occur very rarely only in June and July. Plants bearing plurilocular sporangia are abundant from July to November.
Pharmaceutical Uses
In a study by various professors at the Sung Kyun Kwan University, there is a report of the results of a screening of 89 seaweeds collected from British Columbia, Canada, and Korea for antiviral activity. Various concentrations of methanol extracts of dried algae were tested against 100 plaque-forming units of herpes simplex virus type 1 and Sindbis virus in Vero cell monolayers. With reference to Analipus japonicus, it was the most potent anti-herpes species, according to the experimental results.
 References:
http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/chienp/division%20phaeophyta.html
Biologiya Morya, Vladivostok, 2000, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 426-429
http://www.skku.ac.kr/~ecology/professor/abstract/biological.html

This file was provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of Lester B. Pearson College by Paolo Danese 2002 (PC yr 28)

Costaria costata: five- rib kelp–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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ccostata3Costaria ( latin= rib) is a brown handsome kelp often growing with Laminaria sp.. It is found around the Race Rocks shallow sub-tidal area. Costaria‘s blade is up to 2 m long and it has five midribs running its length, three on one side and two on the other. The midribs are concave on the bottom. The blade tissue, sitting between the ribs, is elaborately contorted into a system of ridges and valleys. Costaria costata is an annual. distributed from Alaska to southern California in the low intertidal and upper sub-tidal regions.This brown algae displays a range of shapes, reflecting the degree of wave exposure it encounters. In wave-exposed sites the plants are narrow and thick. their stipes are ridged and a series of regular perforations run the length of the blade. Wave-sheltered plants are broad and thin, having smooth stipes and no perforations. Transplant studies have shown these differences in morphology to be environmentally induced. For example, a plant moved from a wave-exposed locality to a sheltered are will produce new blade tissue characteristics of wave-sheltered plants. this morphological response to environmental differences is called phenotypic plasticity. In sheltered waters the blade is long and narrow while in surf waters it grows in a big, wrinkled egg shape.

Classification
Domain: Eyukarya
Kingdom: Protochtista
Division: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyaceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Laminariaceae
Genus: Costaria
Species: costata
Common Name: five- rib kelp
References:
Druehl,Luis. “Pacific Seaweeds”,Harbour, Canada, 2000

Other Phaeophytes or Brown Algae at Race Rocks

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Jana Morehouse  PC 2002

 

Alaria nana: The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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alariadry

Alaria nana desiccating at low tide. Alaria photos by Ryan Murphy

Alaria nana
Description: The plant is olive brown to yellowish-brown in colour with a conspicuous blade(eroded at maturity), stipe, and holdfast.         The holdfast is made up of short, firm root-like structures and is 3-7cm. long, 5-8 mm. in diameter, merging into a slightly compressed rachis 2-4 cm. long. The rachis in turn merges into the blade, which is linear, tapering gradually to the apex and abruptly tothe rachis; the blade is 40-60 cm. long and 3-8 cm. wide with a conspicuous, solid percurrent midrib 4-6 mm. wide.

Habitat:           On rocks in the middle and upper intertidal zones in exposed areas.
Kingdom: Chromista
Phylum: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Alariaceae
Genus: Alaria
Species: nana
Robert Scagel, 1972
See other Brown Algae, Phaeophytes of Race Rocks

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Ryan Murphy  PC yr 26