Codium fragile (Suhr) Hariot

Also known widely in the literature as Codium fragile subsp. tomentosoides.

Vernacular names: Spúinse (Ireland), Green Sponge Fingers, Green Sea Fingers, Velvet Horns (Britain), Fleece, Sponge Tang (North America), Chonggak (Korea), Miru (Japan)

Fact Sheet (Download PDF)

Description: A spongy, dichotomously branched light-green velvety alga without distinct flattening at the forks of the branches. Often covered in white hairs (below).
A number of subspecies have been described, some of which have been introduced in various parts of the world. Although two spubspecies were widely accepted as having been introduced into Britain and Ireland, recent detailed genetic studies have shown that this is not the case.
Habitat: Mainly in deeper rock pools in the upper and mid-shore; relatively uncommon in Ireland and Britain.
Distribution:NE Atlantic: Netherlands (Stegenga et al., 1997). Britain (Burrows, 1991). Ireland (Guiry, 1978; Burrows, 1991). N. France (Feldmann & Magne, 1964). N. Spain (Pérez-Cirera et al., 1989). Azores (Neto, 1994).
Mediterranean: Spain (Ballesteros, 1981; Ballesteros & Romero, 1982; Gallardo et al., 1985). Adriatic shore of Italy (Furnari et al., 1999). Adriatic (Battelli & Vukovic, 1995; Battelli, 1996). Greece (Gerloff & Geissler, 1974).
Australasia: New Zealand (Adams, 1994, adventive).

Identification guide for selected marine non-native species (National Museum Wales). (Download free PDF, about 3.5 Mb).

Link: Algaebase

Species list