Biodiversity & Conservation

A green seaweed - Urospora wormskioldii

A green seaweed

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Distribution map

Urospora wormskioldii recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

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Urospora wormskioldii is not listed under any importance categories.

Taxonomy icon Taxonomy Taxon English term
Phylum Chlorophyta Green seaweeds and stoneworts
Class Chlorophyceae
Authority (Mertens ex Hornemann) Rosenvinge
Recent synonyms None
Map icon Recorded Distribution in Britain and Ireland Isolated records from the Shetland Islands, east and south coasts of England, Northern Ireland, the Firth of Clyde and the outer Hebrides.
Habitat information icon Habitat information The filamentous phase occurs on rocks in the intertidal and on submerged rocks and wood surfaces. The Codiolum-like phase, forms, soft dark green turfs over large areas on the upper shore where it may be wetted at every tide or left exposed for several days at a time.
Text page icon Description Filaments are simple, tapering towards the base and up to 10 cm long. It forms a very fine felt-like covering that varies in colour from dark green to purple and adheres closely to damp, shady surfaces. In good years this 'felt' is dark and conspicuous but in others barely detectable. Growth varies seasonally and is maximum in the early months of the year.
Identifying features
  • This species exhibits three different types of thallus depending on environmental conditions.
  • Varies from green to purple in colour.
  • Large cell size (0.1-0.5 mm).
Additional information icon Additional information The large cell size of this species distinguishes it from other Ulothrix and Urospora species. The three varieties of thallus include, filamentous; dwarf filamentous and unicellular Codiolum-like.

This review can be cited as follows:

Michelle Carter 2003. Urospora wormskioldii. A green seaweed. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 03/09/2010]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=4554>