Laminaria pallida

Laminaria pallida, the split-fan kelp, is a species of large brown seaweed of the class Phaeophyceae found from Danger Point on the south coast of South Africa to Port Nolloth, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the Atlantic and Île Saint-Paul in the Indian Ocean.

Split-fan kelp
Laminaria pallida off the Cape Peninsula west coast
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Chromista
Phylum: Ochrophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Laminariaceae
Genus: Laminaria
Species:
L. pallida
Binomial name
Laminaria pallida
Greville ex J, Agardh 1848

Description

The large thallus is up to 10m long, with a single smooth broad blade which splits into several parallel longitudinal straps. The holdfast is multiply branched, and the stipe is usually solid, fairly stiff, round in section and tapers gradually toward the blade. In specimens with hollow stipes the stipe narrows towards the base.[1]

Distribution

Danger Point on the south coast of South Africa to Port Nolloth in Namibia, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the Atlantic and St Paul Island in the Indian Oacean.[1]

Type locality: Table Bay, Cape Province, South Africa (Silva, Basson & Moe 1996: 641).[2]

Ecology
Laminaria pallida, Namibia, in intertidal or shallow subtidal zone

Commonly found below a canopy of the Sea bamboo Ecklonia maxima down to 15 m, and replaces it in deeper water to 30 m The frond tips sweep the surrounding reef surface, reducing the numbers of animals that may eat sporelings.[3]

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References
  1. Stegenga, H.; Bolton, J.J.; Anderson, R.J. (1997). Seaweeds of the South African West Coast. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium, University of Cape Town. ISBN 978-0-7992-1793-3.
  2. Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2018. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=maf131d96f8ffdef1; searched on 26 May 2018.
  3. Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L.; Griffiths, C.L.; Beckley, L.E. (2010). Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik Nature. ISBN 978 1 77007 772 0.
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