| Description: |
Colloquially known as "the devil's tongue weed" due to the shape and color of its blades, this algae is native to the regions of East Asia and Eastern Russia. Grateloupia turuturu can grow as a single large thick blade, or as clumps of two to eight blades, which are preceeded by a short and narrow cylindrical stem, growing from a small disk-shaped holdfast, sized approximately at 5mm. The blades vary in size and shape and can be irregularly divided, possessing a gelatinous texture, and colors ranging from deep red, burgundy, or maroon. The margins are wavy and often have thread-like or lance-shaped projections, and the blades themselves can be as small as 150–250 mm for kidney-shaped blades, up to 750–1000 mm for more linear elongated specimens. Due to being one of the largest red algae species, this seaweed outcompetes its smaller neighbors for sunshine, in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal zones it inhabits. |
Species:
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Grateloupia turuturu Yamada |
