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Mediterranean invasive species factsheet

ALGAE

Reproduction Common name: not assigned

identification harpoon-like hooks

Scientific Name:
Asparagopsis armata
Picture

Key identifying features
Brief history
A red seaweed with two morphologically different
stages during its development, a gametophyte stage
and a tetrasporophyte stage. Its cylindrical, bare main
stolons (1mm wide, 200 mm long) are irregularly
branched, with bushy fronds. Its lower branchlets are
long and have hooks that resemble harpoons. Reproduction
It is able to reproduce sexually and has a two-phase
Field identification signs and habitat (heteromorphic diplohaplontic) life cycle with two
main morphologically different stages during its
The gametophyte stage is pale purplish-red, quickly
development. The gametophyte phase, which was
degenerating when removed from the water and
the form named Asparagopsis armata, has either
becoming distinctly orange. It can be found growing
male or female organs; this is followed by a
as an epiphytic alga on other algal species,
microscopic carposporophyte middle stage, and then
especially Corallina sp. The tetrasporophyte stage is
by the tetrasporophyte phase, which was originally
a brownish-red, filamentous, branched alga, forming
named Falkenbergia rufolanosa. The gametophyte
dense cotton-wool-like tufts 15 mm in diameter.
and sporophyte stages are also capable of
Usually this alga develops on infralittoral rocky reproducing vegetatively. Drifting gametophytes
bottoms from the surface to a depth of 40 m. readily attach to other algae by barbed branchlets
and produce new shoots. ‘Falkenbergia’ also
disperses by flotation.

Reproduction cycle
Asparagopsis armata
Gametophyte stage
“Asparagopsys armata”

Carporosphyte stage

Carpospores

Tetraspores

Tetrasporophyte stage
Falkenbergia rufolanosa
Asparagopsis armata. Photo: E. Talledo - OCEANA

Monitoring Marine Invasive Species in Mediterranean MPAs: A strategy and practical guide for managers 35