Thallus flat, membranous, with short stipe, the single fronds linear to broad-lanceolate, undivided or irregularly dividing from the base, narrowing towards the base as well as the tipe; sometimes proliferating on the margins and the surface. Consistency gelatinous-slippery but firm. Discoid holdfast. Violet- to crimson-red, ooften greenish at the top thallus (Braun & Guiry, 2011).

Commercially used for carrageenan-production (Braun & Guiry, 2011).

In Japan, this seaweed is commonly used as a sea vegetable (Fujiwara-Arasaki, Mino, & Kuroda, 1984).

G. turuturu is characterised by its richness in dietary fibre (nearly 60% dw) and therefore appears to be a good source of food fibre for human consumption. This is very interesting because the beneficial effect of fibre on health is already well-known (Jiménez-Escrig & Sanchez-Muniz, 2000). This seaweed is also rich in proteins, like P. palmata, another red alga now authorised in France as a sea vegetable. Its lipid content is low, like all red seaweeds used in human nutrition, and its eicosapentaenoic acid content is similar to those reported for edible red seaweeds such as Chondrus cripus or Gracilaria verrucosa (Fleurence et al., 1994).

D'Archino, R. Nelson, W. A. Zuccarello, G. C. (2007). Invasive marine red alga introduced to New Zealand waters: first record of Grateloupia turuturu (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta). New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 41: 35-42.

De Clerck, O., Gavio, B., Fredericq, S., Bárbara, I. & Coppejans, E. (2005). Systematics of Grateloupia filicina (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta), based on rbcl sequence analyses and morphological evidence, including the reinstatement of G. minima and the description of G. capensis sp. nov. Journal of Phycology 41: 391-410.

Figueroa, F.L., Korbee, N., de Clerck, O., Bárbara, I. & Gall, E.A.R. (2007). Characterization of Grateloupia lanceola (Halymeniales, Rhodophyta), an obscure foliose Grateloupia from the Iberian Peninsula, based on morphology, comparative sequence analysis and mycosporine-like amino acid composition.. European Journal of Phycology 42: 231-242.

Bárbara, I. & Cremades, J. (2004). Grateloupia lanceola versus Grateloupia turuturu (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) en la Península Ibérica. Anales del Jardín de Madrid 61: 103-118.

Barreiro, R., Quintela, M., Bárbara, I. & Cremades, J. (2006). RAPD differentiation of Grateloupia lanceola and the invasive Grateloupia turuturu (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) in the Iberian Peninsula. Phycologia 45

Bárbara, I. & Cremades, J. (2004). Grateloupia lanceola versus Grateloupia turuturu (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) en la Península Ibérica. Anales del Jardín de Madrid 61: 103-118.

Barreiro, R., Quintela, M., Bárbara, I. & Cremades, J. (2006). RAPD differentiation of Grateloupia lanceola and the invasive Grateloupia turuturu (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) in the Iberian Peninsula. Phycologia 45

Gavio, B. & Fredericq, S. (2002). Grateloupia turuturu (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) is the correct name of the non-native species in the Atlantic known as Grateloupia doryphora. European Journal of Phycology 37: 349-360.

Loiseaux-de Goër, S. & Noailles, M.-C. (2008). Algues de Roscoff. pp. [1]-215, col. figs. Roscoff: Editions de la Station Biologique de Roscoff.

Verlaque, M., Brannock, P.M., Komatsu, T., Villalard-Bohnsack, M. & Marston, M. (2005). The genus Grateloupia C. Agardh (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) in the Thau Lagoon (France, Mediterranean): a case study of marine plurispecific introductions. Phycologia 44: 477-496.

Xia, B.M. (2004). Flora algarum marinarum sinicarum Tomus II Rhodophyta No. III Gelidiales Cryptonemiales Hildenbrandiales. pp. [i]-xxi, 1-203, pls I-XIII. Beijing: Science Press.

Balcom, N.C. 2009. Grateloupia turuturu: A Red Seaweed Invading Long Island Sound. Connecticut Sea Grant, http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/conn/conng06004.pdf

Mathieson, A.C., et.al. 2008. The Asian red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu (Rhodophyta)invades the Gulf of Maine. Biological Invasions. 10:7, p. 985-988.

Van Patten, P. 2006. Beware the Red Menace! - Grateloupia is invading Long Island Sound. Wrack Lines Magazine. 6:2, p. 7-10.

Villalard-Bohnsack, M. and M.M. Harlin. 1997. The appearance of Grateloupia doryphora (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) on the northeast coast of North America. Phycologia. 36:4, p. 324-328.

Syntype localities: Muroran, Otaru and Hakodate, Hokkaido; Enoshima and Hayama, Sagami Prov.; Amatura, Bosyu Prov., Japan (Yamada 1941: 205).

Type: SAP 022063 (Yoshida 1998: 721). Notes: "Halymenia turuturu Okamura in herb." According to Verlaque et al. (2005: 487) the type locality is Muroran, Hokkaido, Pacific.