Electronic Flora of South Australia Species Fact Sheet

Cladophoropsis herpestica (Montagne) Howe 1914: 31.

Phylum Chlorophyta – Order Cladophorales – Family Cladophoraceae

Selected citations: Chapman 1956: 470 (fig. 130, incorrect). Womersley 1956: 377.

Thallus (Fig. 58B) dark green, forming firm, compact cushions up to 15 cm across and (0.5–) 1–1.5 cm thick, with basally entangled filaments and the upper filaments erect or sloping but crowded. Filaments (Fig. 59C) 240–340 (–370) um in diameter, with lateral branches from below a cross wall and usually a long, descending rhizoid from the basal pole of the upper cell; laterals arising well separated or 2–4 clustered from relatively short cells (L/B (1–) 2–5); upper cells very long; wall 20–40 µm thick; chloroplast reticulate, with numerous pyrenoids.

Reproduction: Reproduction unknown.

Type from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand; in Herb. Montagne, PC.

Selected specimens: Mangles Bay, Point Peron, W. Aust., sublittoral on reef nodules (Smith 107, Nov. 1946; ADU, A50595). Head of the Great Australian Bight, S. Aust., lower eulittoral, shaded (Womersley, 4.ii.1954; ADU, A19148). Elliston, S. Aust., lower eulittoral, shaded (Womersley, 15.i.1951; ADU, A13612-"Marine Algae of southern Australia" No. 3). Encounter Bay, S. Aust. (Cleland; ADU, A1575).

Distribution map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of SA

Distribution: New Zealand. Chile? (Santelices & Abbott 1978, p. 215), Thailand (Egerod 1971, p. 123, figs 1–9), New Caledonia? (Valet 1968a, p. 39).

In southern Australia, from Point Peron and Hopetoun, W. Aust., from the Head of the Great Australian Bight to Elliston, S. Aust., and from Encounter Bay, S. Aust. and Queensland. Generally in shaded areas just above or below low tide level under moderate water movement.

Taxonomic notes: The southern Australian specimens agree well with specimens from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and appear to be confined to the slightly warmer central and western coasts of southern Australia.

References:

CHAPMAN, V.J. (1956). The marine algae of New Zealand. Part I. Myxophyceae and Chlorophyceae. J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 55 (360), 333–501, Plates 24–50.

EGEROD, L. (1971). Some marine algae from Thailand. Phycologia 10, 121–142.

HOWE, M.A. (1914). The marine algae of Peru. Mem. Torrey Bot. Club. 15, 1–185, Plates 1–66.

SANTELICES, B. & ABBOTT, I.A. (1978). New records of marine algae from Chile and their effect on phytogeography. Phycologia 17, 213–222.

VALET, G. (1968a). Algues marines de la Nouvelle-Calédonie I. Chlorophycées. Nova Hedwigia 15, 29–63, Plates 6–15.

WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1956). A critical survey of the marine algae of southern Australia. I. Chlorophyta. Aust. J. mar. freshw. Res. 7, 343–383.

The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part I complete list of references.

Author: H.B.S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (31 May, 1984)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Part I
©Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Government of South Australia

Illustrations in Womersley Part I, 1984: FIGS 58B, 59C.

Figure 58   enlarge

Fig. 58. A. Apjohnia laetevirens (ADU, A27299). B. Cladophoropsis herpestica (ADU, A13612). C. Cladophoropsis magna (Type).

Figure 59   enlarge

Fig. 59. A,B. Apjohnia laetevirens (ADU, A27299). A. A branch with series of basally annulate segments. B. Lower cells with annular constrictions and hapteroid cells. C. Cladophoropsis herpestica (ADU, A13612). Filaments with descending rhizoids and open connection to lateral branches. D. Cladophoropsis magna (Type). A cluster of filaments showing branches in open connection to lower cells. E–G. Cladophora rhizoclonioidea (Holotype). E. Habit. F. A group of entangled filaments. G. An old regenerating filament with young lateral branches.

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