Asparagopsis armata Harvey, 1855

Costanzo, Luca Giuseppe, Marletta, Giuliana & Alongi, Giuseppina, 2021, Non-indigenous macroalgal species in coralligenous habitats of the Marine Protected Area Isole Ciclopi (Sicily, Italy), Italian Botanist 11, pp. 31-44 : 31

Asparagopsis armata Harvey

Description.

In our samples, only the tetrasporophytic phase (known as Falkenbergia rufolanosa ) was found. The tetrasporophytes are filamentous and usually form small tufts. The tetrasporophytic thalli consist of an axis with apical growth, with 3 periaxial cells around each axial cell. In the collected specimens the gland cells, which are cut off by each periaxial cell, were well-identifiable. Previously, in the MPA Isole Ciclopi the gamethophytes were also reported ( Giaccone and Pizzuto 2001). Gametophytic thalli are pale pink, with a pyramidal outline and fixed to the substrate by cylindrical stolons. The frond consists of a cylindrical main axis, irregularly and radially branched, bearing plumose branches on all sides. Furthermore, the branches are scattered and with a harpoon shape for the presence of several retroverted spines.

Chorology.

Cosmopolitan.

Presumed introduction vector.

Fouling.

Remarks.

This species has been widely reported in almost all the Mediterranean. Hitherto, in the coralligenous of the MPA only the tetrasporophytes have been found ( Furnari and Scammacca 1970; Furnari et al. 1977). In fact, usually, the gametophytes occur in the upper infralittoral ( Cormaci et al. 2020).