Leathesia difformis

Leathesia difformis, is a synonym for Leathesia marina (Lyngbye) Decaisne, 1842, commonly known as the sea cauliflower and the sea potato. It is a species of littoral brown algae in the class Phaeophyceae and the order Ectocarpales which is commonly attached to other seaweeds and sometimes rocks. When young, the organism is solid but as it matures it becomes hollow and somewhat convoluted and has the appearance of a small leathery brown bag about the same size as a tennis ball. The texture is rubbery and the outer surface smooth.

Leathesia difformis
Scientific classification
(unranked):	SAR
Superphylum:	Heterokonta
Class:	Phaeophyceae
Order:	Ectocarpales
Family:	Chordariaceae
Genus:	Leathesia
Species:	L. difformis
Binomial name
Leathesia difformis (L.) Aresch.

These brain-like brown seaweeds can be found growing on rock or as epiphytes on other seaweeds in the mid to low intertidal. Individuals can grow to ~15 centimetres (5.9 in) in diameter. Young individuals can resemble other globular forms of algae, such as Soranthera ulvoidea.[1][2] To determine if it is Leathesia, squeeze and flatten a piece between your fingers. Leathesia will break apart into filaments whereas other globular forms will flatten but remain intact.[3][4]

Taxonomy

A 2011 study using phylogenetics found the following relationships between L. difformis and the rest of Chordariaceae.[5]

Chordariaceae

Myrionema papilosum         Myractula clandestina     Elachista fucicola         Striaria attenuata         Litosiphon laminariae     Elachista flaccida         Elachista scutulata         Punctaria latifolia     Asperococcus bullosus           Ulonema rhizophorum     Myrionema strangulans         Ddictyosiphon foeniculaceus         Chordaria flagelliformis     Soranthera ulvoidea         Corynophlaea crispa     Leathesia difformis

References

1. Lindeberg, Mandy; Lindstrom, Sandra. "Studded Sea Balloons Soranthera ulvoidea". Seaweeds of Alaska. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
2. Cho, Ga Youn; Kim, Myung-Sook; Boo, Sung Min (6 January 2005). "Phylogenetic Relationships of Soranthera ulvoidea (Chordariaceae, Phaeophyceae) on the Basis of Morphology and Molecular Data" (PDF). Algae. 20 (2): 91–97. doi:10.4490/ALGAE.2005.20.2.091. ISSN 1226-2617. OCLC 4663643362. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
3. "Leathesia difformis" Archived 2010-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, 18 December 2006. Retrieved on 8 February 2012.
4. Holmeson, Jan (19 December 2006). "Soranthera ulvoides (Studded sea balloon)". Sound Water Stewards. Oak Harbor, WA: Periwinkle Press. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
5. Silberfeld, Thomas; Racault, Marie-Fanny L. P.; Fletcher, Robert L.; Couloux, Arnaud; Rousseau, Florence; De Reviers, Bruno (15 August 2011). "Systematics and evolutionary history of pyrenoid-bearing taxa in brown algae (Phaeophyceae)". European Journal of Phycology. 46 (4): 362–378. doi:10.1080/09670262.2011.628698. ISSN 0967-0262. OCLC 773784579.

Further reading

Chapman, A.R.O.; Goudey, C.L. (January 1983). "Demographic study of the macrothallus of Leathesia difformis (Phaeophyta) in Nova Scotia". Canadian Journal of Botany. 61 (1): 319–323. doi:10.1139/b83-035.