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Botryocladia pseudodichotoma - Sea grapes
Geographic range:
Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia to Baja California, Mexico
Key features:
Looks like a cluster of red grapes
Similar species:
--
Habitat(s):
bay (rocky shore), exposed rocky shore, kelp forest, protected rocky shore
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Primary common name:
Sea Grapes |
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ITIS code:
12817 |
Synonymous name(s):
Chrysymenia pseudodichotoma |
General grouping:
Red seaweed/algae |
| Geographic Range |
Range description:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma can be found from the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, to Baja California, Mexico. |
Northern latitude extent:
-- |
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Southern latitude extent:
-- |
East longitude extent:
-- |
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West longitude extent:
-- |
| Intertidal Height |
Lowest intertidal height:
0 meters OR 0 feet |
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Highest intertidal height:
0 meters OR 0 feet |
Intertidal height notes:
Not found intertidally. |
| Subtidal Depth Range |
Minimum depth:
6 meters OR 20 feet |
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Maximum depth:
18 meters OR 59.94 feet |
Subtidal depth notes:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma can be found subtidally between 6 — 18 m depth. |
| Habitats |
Habitat(s):
bay (rocky shore), exposed rocky shore, kelp forest, protected rocky shore |
Habitat notes:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma lives on rocks and other algae in the subtidal. |
| Abundance |
Relative abundance:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma is abundant in certain areas. |
| Species Description |
General description:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma is a red alga in the family Rhodymeniaceae in the Phylum Rhodophyta. The genus name stems from the Greek words botrys and klados, which mean cluster of grapes and branch, respectively. This alga resembles a cluster of deep red grapes. |
Distinctive features:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma is a striking, rose-red alga. The thallus is 10 — 30 cm tall with a single, solid axis that is divergently branched and bears numerous elongate, pyriform (pear-shaped), sacchate (sack-like) branches. The hollow and inflated sacchate branches are 4 — 7 cm long and 6 — 25 mm in diameter. They are filled with a colorless, acidic, polysaccharide and protein mucilage which makes them buoyant and better able to compete for light.
The tissues of Botryocladia pseudodichotoma has three cell layers, the first is the pigmented cortical cells, then the unpigmented medium sized gelatinous cells and finally, unpigmented large gelatinous medullar cells (and specialized secretory cells). These secretory cells cluster in groups of 10 — 20 on the inward facing surface of medullar cells and can be viewed under a microscope by making cross-sections with a razorblade. |
Size:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma can grow to be 30 cm tall. |
| Natural History |
General natural history:
All red algae, including Botryocladia pseudodichotoma, are red because of the presence of the pigment phycoerythrin, which reflects red light and absorbs blue light. Since blue light penetrates water to a greater depth than other light, these pigments allow red algae to photosynthesize and live at somewhat greater depths than other algae. |
Predator(s):
Herbivores, include several gastropods, feed on Botryocladia pseudodichotoma. |
Prey:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma is an alga, and like all photoautotrophs, uses photosynthesis to grow and reproduce by capturing the energy of the sun to build carbohydrate molecules from carbon dioxide and water. |
| Feeding behavior |
Feeding behavior(s):
Photosynthetic |
Feeding behavior notes:
-- |
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| January - December |
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Reproduction:
Botryocladia pseudodichotoma, as with most red algae, has a complicated life history, involving three stages of independent organisms to complete its life cycle. The three life history phases of its triphasic life cycle are the gametophyte, the carposporophyte and the tetrasporophyte. The specialized female reproductive cells are called carpogonia and the male cells are called spermatia. |
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References:
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| Abbott, I.A., and G.J. Hollenberg. 1976. Marine Algae of California. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 827 p. |
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| Felton, M. 2006. Marine Botany, Botryocladia pseudodichotoma. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/reds/mark/index.htm, Accessed [08/07/06]. |
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| Mondragon, J. 2003. Seaweeds of the Pacific Coast: common marine algae from Alaska to Baja California. Sea Challengers, Monterey, CA. 97 p.
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Data supplied by SIMoN Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network
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