Asparagopsis armata

Asparagopsis armata
(Diplodus vulgaris). In the background, Asparagopsis armata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Archaeplastida
Phylum:	Rhodophyta
Class:	Florideophyceae
Order:	Bonnemaisoniales
Family:	Bonnemaisoniaceae
Genus:	Asparagopsis
Species:	A. armata
Binomial name
Asparagopsis armata Harvey
Synonyms
Falkenbergia rufolanosa

Asparagopsis armata is a marine red algae species. It was first described in 1855 by Harvey, who found the algae on the Western Australian coast.^[1] Native to the Southern hemisphere, it has been introduced to the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Its life cycle has two distinct phases:^[1]

• the gametophyte phase occurs in Europe between June and September. It is pale purple-red, and it has 1 mm wide and up to 200 mm long irregularly branched thalli. The lower branchlets have characteristic harpoon-like barbs.
• the tetrasporophyte phase (previously identified as Falkenbergia rufolanosa) occurs in Europe all year round. It is brownish red, branched and filamentous and grows in 15 mm diameter tufts.

References

• Ní Chualáin, F.; Maggs, C.A.; Saunders, G.W. & Guiry, M.D. (2004). "The invasive genus Asparagopsis (Bonnemaisoniaceae, Rhodophyta): molecular systematics, morphology, and ecophysiology of Falkenbergia isolates.". Journal of Phycology. 40: 1112–1126. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2004.03135.x.