Gracilaria vermiculophylla is a red macroalga that is cartilaginous, cylindrical and up to 50 cm long. It is coarsely branched, often profusely so. G. vermiculophylla can be found as loose-lying thalli or attached to small stones or shells. Red algae are often found in the vegetative state, and characterisation of reproductive structures is often necessary for correct identification of Gracilaria species (Liao & Hommersand 2003; Nyberg et al. 2009; Rueness 2005).

Similar Species: Gracilaria gracilis, Gracilariopsis longissima

Native range: Northwest Pacific ocean including Japan and east Asia (Rueness 2005).

Introduced range: North American eastern and western coasts, Europe, northeastern Atlantic coast extending from Morocco to southwest Sweden, eastern Pacific (Weinberger et al. 2008; Bellorin et al. 2004).

Abreu, M.H., Pereira, R., Sousa-Pint, I. & Yarish, C. (2011). Ecophysiological studies of the non-indigenous species Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rhodophyta) and its abundance patterns in Ria de Aveiro lagoon, Portugal. European Journal of Phycology 46(4): 453-464.

Arvizu-Higuera, D.L., Rodríguez-Montesinos, Y.E., Murillo-Álvarez, J.I., Muñoz-Ochoa, M. & Hernández-Carmona, G. (2009). Effect of alkali treatment time and extraction time on agar from Gracilaria vermiculophylla. Proceedings of the International Seaweed Symposium 19: 65-69, 2 figs, 1 table.

Bellorin, A.M., Oliveira, M.C & Oliveira, E.C. (2004). Gracilaria vermiculophylla: A western Pacific species of Gracilariaceae (Rhodophyta) first recorded from the eastern Pacific. Phycological Research 52: 69-79.

Kim, S.Y., Weinberger, F. & Boo, S.M. (2010). Genetic data hint at a common donor region for invasive Atlantic and Pacific populations of Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) (Note). Journal of Phycology 46(6): 1346-1349.

Nyberg, C.D., Thomsen, M.S. & Wallentinus, I. (2009). Flora and fauna associated with the introduced red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla. European Journal of Phycology 44(3): 395-403.

Phooprong, S., Ogawa, H. & Hayashizaki, K. (2009). Photosynthetic and respiratory responses of Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Ohmi) Papenfuss collected from Kumamoto, Shizuoka and Iwate, Japan. Proceedings of the International Seaweed Symposium 19: 293-300, 3 figs, 2 tables.

Rueness, J. (2005). Life history and molecular sequences of Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta), a new introduction to European waters. Phycologia 44: 120-128.

Saunders, G.W. (2009). Routine DNA barcoding of Canadian Gracilariales (Rhodophyta) reveals the invasive species Gracilaria vermiculophylla in British Columbia. Saunders GW.. Molecular Ecological Research 9(Suppl. 1): 140-150.

Sfriso, A., Maistro, S., Andreoli, C. & Moro, I. (2010). First record of Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) in the Po Delta lagoons, Mediterranean Sea (Italy) (Note). Journal of Phycology 46(5): 1024-1027.

Terada, R. & Yamamoto, H. (2002). Review of Gracilaria vermiculophylla and other species in Japan and Asia. In: Taxonomy of Economic Seaweeds with reference to some Pacific species. Vol. VIII. (Abbott, I.A. & Mcdermid, K.J. Eds) Vol.8, pp. 215-224. La Jolla: California Sea Grant College.

Thomsen, M.S., Gurgel, C.F.D., Fredericq, S. & McGlathery, K.J. (2006). Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rhodophyta, Gracilariales) in Hog Island Bay, Virginia: a cryptic alien and invasive macroalga and taxonomic correction (Note). Journal of Phycology 42: 139-141.

Tyler, A.C. & McGlathery, K.J. (2006). Uptake and release of nitrogen by the macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rhodophyta). Journal of Phycology 42: 515-525.

Yabu, H. & Yamamoto, H. (1989). Chromosome number of Gracilaria chorda and G. vermiculophylla. Japanese Journal of Phycology 37: 236-238.

Yamamoto, H. & Sasaki, J. (1988). Interfertility between so-called Gracilaria verrucosa (Huds.) Papenfuss and G. vermiculophylla (Ohmi) Papenfuss in Japan. Bulletin of the Faculty of Fisheries Hokkaido University 39: 1-3.

Yokoya, N.S., Kakita, H., Obika, H. & Kitamura, T. (1999). Effects of environmental factors and plant growth regulators on growth of the red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla from Shikoku Island, Japan. Proceedings of the International Seaweed Symposium 16: 339-347.

Basionym: Gracilariopsis vermiculophylla Ohmi

Type locality: Gomejima, Akkeshi Bay (Lake Akkeshi), Kushiro Prov., Japan (Terada & Yamamoto 2002: 216). Holotype: Ohmi 200; ix. 1955; HAK (Terada & Yamamoto 2002: 216). Notes: Holotype: Ohmi 200, spermatangial. Isotype: Ohmi 201, cystocarpic, currently housed in herbarium at Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University.