Dictyota mertensii

Dictyota mertensii (Martius) Kützing

No Picture Available

Family:	Dictyotaceae ()
Max. size:
Environment:	sessile; marine; depth range 0 - 15 m
Distribution:	Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.
Diagnosis:	Greenish brown, erect and bushy thalli attached by a discoid holdfast to the substrate. Branching alternate-dichotomous, forming rounded axils. Branches strap-shaped, 2.5 to 10 mm across, broadest just below the forking, narrowest at the terminal portions. Segments between the dichotomies decrease in length from base to the distal end of the thallus. Apices of terminal segments rounded to obtuse when young, dentate or aculeate when mature. Outer margins of blades entire. Thalli up to 15 cm in height (Ref. 80758).
Biology:	Good source of alginate which is used as an emulsifying, stabilizing and gelling agent in food such as pastries, jellies, salad dressings, ice creams, meat and flavor sources, beer, fruit juices and milk shakes (Ref. 80758); presence of metabolite dictyol H, a diterpene carbon skeleton. Abundant and inhabits rocks in shallow waters with moderate currents from the intertidal and subtidal zone at depths of 15 m; most common at about 2 m depth where the water is clear and unpolluted (Ref. 80758).
IUCN Red List Status:	Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:	harmless
Country info:

Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.