Direct observation of Desmarestia dresnayi Lamour. ex Laman in the British Isles and in the Mediterranean
Title:
Direct observation of Desmarestia dresnayi Lamour. ex Laman in the British Isles and in the Mediterranean
Author:
Drew, Edward A. Robertson, William A. A.
Appeared in:
European journal of phycology
Paging:
Volume 9 (1974) nr. 2 pages 195-200
Year:
1974-06-12
Contents:
Desmarestia dresnayi Lamour. ex Laman, previously known only from dredged or drift material in Spain, France, England and Ireland, has been observed growing on the seabed at depths of 15 m in Firth of Lorn, West Scotland, at 18 m off Co. Kerry, Eire, and at 60-65 m in the Straits of Messina, Central Mediterranean. These observations extend the known geographical range both north and south; this species seems to prefer to grow on small stones and shells in gravel at the northern sites, while it was growing directly on coralline algal encrustations in the Mediterranean. Its close resemblance underwater to young plants of Laminaria saccharina Lamour., with which it was growing at both the Irish and Scottish sites, may explain the lack of previous observations by divers. Most, but not all, the sites involved were periodically swept by moderate water currents. The specific endophyte Colacodictyon reticulatum (Batt.) J. Feldm. was found on material from Scotland and a very similar, probably identical, organism on that from the Mediterranean, suggesting that this rhodophyte accompanies D. dresnayi throughout its geographical range.
Journal description