Classification of sargassum
What is sargassum classification?
Brown algae, comprising the class Phaeophyceae, are a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder waters within the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate and polar regions. They are dominant on rocky shores throughout cooler areas of the world.
What are the characteristics of sargassum?
Sargassum species typically have a highly branched thallus with hollow berrylike floats (pneumatocysts). The numerous fronds are generally small and leaflike with toothed edges. Most species reproduce sexually, but the pelagic species reproduce by fragmentation. The largest members can reach several metres in length.
How many species of Sargassum are there?
Sargassum, a genus of brown seaweed, commonly known as gulf-weed or sea holly belonging to family Sargassaceae, order Fucales, subclass Cyclosporeae, and class Phaeophyceae, contains approximately 400 species.
Is sargassum a type of seaweed?
Sargassum is a brown seaweed that floats in the ocean and is washing up on Florida beaches in large amounts.
What is the importance of sargassum?
Sargassum provides refuge for migratory species and essential habitat for some 120 species of fish and more than 120 species of invertebrates. It’s an important nursery habitat that provides shelter and food for endangered species such as sea turtles and for commercially important species of fish such as tunas.
Why sargassum is called Gulfweed?
Sargassum is commonly found in the beach drift near Sargassum beds, where they are also known as gulfweed, a term that also can mean all seaweed species washed up on shore.
What is the scientific name of sargassum?
How is sargassum formed?
The Sargassum is kept afloat at the sea surface by small, round gas-filled bladders that grow along the stem of the plant. Pieces of the algae break off and begin to grow into new plants, while the old algae die and sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Where is sargassum found?
While there are many different types of algae found floating in the ocean all around world, the Sargasso Sea is unique in that it harbors species of sargassum that are ‘holopelagic’ — this means that the algae not only freely floats around the ocean, but it reproduces vegetatively on the high seas.
What is the difference between seaweed and sargassum?
Sargassum is a type of seaweed, or brown algae, that spends its life on the ocean’s surface and floats in large masses. Unlike red tide and blue-green algae, sargassum isn’t harmful. In fact, it’s an important fish habitat that provides food and refuge for fish, birds, crabs, shrimp and many other marine organisms.
What does sargassum look like?
It looked like a carpet of little yellow grapes so they called it sargazo (a generic name in Spanish for seaweeds with a brown colour and with an obvious stalk and root; the Sargasso Sea is “El mar de los Sargazos”). Sargassum is a brown algae and the ‘grapes’ are the air bladders, which keep it afloat.
How is sargassum formed?
The Sargassum is kept afloat at the sea surface by small, round gas-filled bladders that grow along the stem of the plant. Pieces of the algae break off and begin to grow into new plants, while the old algae die and sink to the bottom of the ocean.
How does sargassum adapt to its environment?
Some sargassum species can reproduce by producing new plants from horizontal creeping ‘stems’. This is an adaptation to living on slippery rocks at the splash zone of rocky shores.
What is the scientific name of sargassum?
Where is sargassum found?
While there are many different types of algae found floating in the ocean all around world, the Sargasso Sea is unique in that it harbors species of sargassum that are ‘holopelagic’ — this means that the algae not only freely floats around the ocean, but it reproduces vegetatively on the high seas.