species: Unspecified green algae in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Plantae > Chlorophyta > Ulvophyceae > Bryopsidales > Unspecified green algae (gallery)
Unspecified green algae


©Anne Hoggett: Thick, bright green cloud that may be the spawn of siphonous green algae (order Bryopsidales) at North Direction Island, 30 Dec 2012, 3:50 pm.

©Anne Hoggett: Thick, bright green cloud that may be the spawn of siphonous green algae (order Bryopsidales) at North Direction Island, 30 Dec 2012, 3:50 pm.

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Kingdom Plantae
Division Chlorophyta
Species Unspecified green algae

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Lizard Island area: all known taxa
Lizard Island Field Guide

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

Bright, almost fluorescent green cloud (brighter than it appears in the photos) that severely diminishes underwater visibility.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Comments

This unusual observation was identified through the hive-mind of coral-list and its contributor Amanda Bourque in 2018. It appears to be spawn of green algae in the order Bryopsidales (which includes Halimeda). Such mass spawning was documented in Panama by Clifton (1997). There, spawning occurred pre-dawn. At North Direction Island, it was at 3:50 pm.

by Anne Hoggett

Distribution

Web resources

References

  • Clifton, K.E. (1997). Mass spawning by green algae on coral reefs, Science, 275: 1116-1118. LIRS catalog number 90267.