PORT PHILLIP BAY


Brown Seaweed 

Cystophora pectinata

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Similar to Cystophora racemosa but lacks floats (vesicles).

Main information sources:
Womersley, H.B.S., (1984-2003). The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia. Part 1-3d. Govt. Printer, South Australia.
Baldock, R.N. 2010. Algae Revealed. South Australian State Herbarium. Website.
AlgaeBase. Website.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Ochrophyta
Subphylum:
Phaeista
Superclass:
Fucistia
Class:
Phaeophyceae
Order:
Fucales
Family:
Sargassaceae
Genus:
Cystophora
Species:
pectinata

General Description

Long strongly zig-zagged central stalk (stipe) appearing oval-shaped (in cross section) with strongly zig-zagged flattened branches arising in an alternating pattern on one plane which have sub-branches. Branchlets (ramuli) are usually found towards the tips of the branches and are arranged on one plane evenly on both sides (pinnate, or fern-like arrangement) of the sub-branch which has a narrow vein (rib) along the mid section. Holdfast at base is a simple and disc-conical shaped. Medium to dark brown. Up to 80 cm long (thallus).

Biology

This species usually occurs in deeper water and can be found in drift.

Habitat

Subtidal rocky reefs, at depths from 10 to 21 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Australia.

Species Group

Seaweeds and seagrasses Brown algae

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

80 cm

Diet

Photosynthetic - sunlight

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Pocklington, Jacqui

Jacqui Pocklington is a Research Associate with expertise in algal taxonomy.

citation

Cite this page as:
Pocklington, Jacqui, 2011, Brown Seaweed, Cystophora pectinata, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 04 Nov 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/11137

Text: creative commons cc by licence