Green bubble weed
Dictyosphaeria cavernosa
(Forsskål) Børgesen, 1932

Description:
The plant forms a large, green, hollow, nearly spherical mass that may be lobed or may collapse or rupture but continues to grow; up to 10 cm in diameter. The wall is crisp, crunchy and show large, angular cells.

Habitat:
It grows in most reef environments, attached to rocky substrates and areas of dead coral. On occasion it covers extensive areas, especially under high nutrient levels.

Distribution:
South Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.

Kingdom Protoctista
Phylum Chlorophyta
Genus Dictyosphaeria
Species Dictyosphaeria cavernosa

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Dictyosphaeria cavernosa (Forsk.) Boerg

Scientific synonyms and common names

Green bubble weed [English]
Bubbeltjeswier [Dutch]
Algue à bulles [French]
Grüne Blasenalge [German]

Humann, P., 1993. Reef Coral Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas, (ed. N. Deloach). New World Publications, Inc., Paramount Miller Graphics, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

Voss, G.L., 1976. Seashore life of Florida and the Carribbean. Banyan Books, Inc. Miami, Florida.

Sorry, there are no other images or audio/video clips available for this species.

You can continue searching for Dictyosphaeria cavernosa on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

Google | Yahoo | MSN | Wikipedia