Biology:Ralfsia verrucosa

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of seaweed

Ralfsia verrucosa
Ralfsia verrucosa Aresch. (AM AK355489).jpg
Ralfsia verrucosa Aresch.
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Stramenopiles
Phylum: Gyrista
Subphylum: Ochrophytina
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Ralfsiales
Family: Ralfsiaceae
Genus: Ralfsia
Species:
R. verrucosa
Binomial name
Ralfsia verrucosa
Areschoug, 1845[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Cruoria verrucosa Areschoug, 1843
  • Ralfsia verrucosa var. cochlearum Areschoug, 1876
  • Ralfsia verrucosa var. lignicola Areschoug, 1847

Ralfsia verrucosa is a species of crustose brown seaweed in the family Ralfsiaceae. It grows intertidally in temperate waters around the world. In South Africa it is part of a mutualistic relationship with a limpet.

Description

Ralfsia verrucosa forms roughly circular patches that grow outwards from the centre with the central parts sometimes becoming detached from the substrate. The thallus is deep brown or blackish-brown and is about 1 mm (0.04 in) thick. It has a distinct, often pale-coloured, margin which is formed from erect filaments which are fused together and that curve upwards from other prostrate filaments.[2][3] The patches of thalli are thick, some 2 to 10 cm (1 to 4 in) in diameter and often coalescing to form larger patches. The surface is smooth and hard.[4]

Distribution and habitat

Ralfsia verrucosa is a cosmopolitan species and is found in temperate waters in northern and western Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, New England, Argentina, round the coasts of Africa, India, Japan, Korea, China, Russia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.[5] It grows on rock in pools in the intertidal zone.[2]

Biology

The brown colour of this seaweed results from the dominance of the xanthophyll fucoxanthin which masks the other pigments that are present, namely chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, beta-carotene and other xanthophylls.[1] The tissues contain polyphenols which act as a deterrent to herbivores.[3]

Round the coasts of South Africa, Ralfsia verrucosa enjoys a mutual relationship with the limpet Scutellastra longicosta. This limpet clears an area of rock by intensive grazing, and allows Ralfsia verrucosa to settle on it while excluding other species of algae. The limpet then cultivates its "garden", grazing the algal turf to a moderate level and fertilising it with faeces and mucus. A 7 centimetres (2.8 in) limpet can "farm" an area of about 150 square centimetres (23 sq in) of algal turf and defend its territory from intrusion by other limpets.[6]

The genus name commemorates the botanist John Ralfs.[7]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q16988999 entry