Predaea weldii Kraft & I.A. Abbott
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Family:  Nemastomataceae ()
Max. size: 
Environment:  sessile; marine
Distribution:  Atlantic Ocean: In Puerto Rico south to Colombia and Venezuela, including the Caribbean, east to the Canary Islands; Indian Ocean: In Oman and South Africa east to Western Australia; Pacific Ocean: In Micronesia and Fiji, east to Easter Island including the Hawaiian Islands.
Diagnosis:  The gelatinous thallus is about 3.5 cm high, irregularly branched with numerous short, blunttapering branchlets. The colour is pale pinkish in situ. The thallus is multiaxial, composed of a filamentous medulla and cortex embedded in a gelatinous matrix. The cortical filaments are dichotomously branched, with rectilinear cells, 4-5 μm wide by 8-13 μm long. Gland cells are absent. Carpogonial branches are 3-celled. Auxiliary cells are placed intercalary in cortical filaments and uteriform in shape with a prominent apical bulge. Nutritive cells, grouped per 3-6 in chains 1-3 cells long, are present on the cortical cells immediately below and on the 2 cells distal to the auxiliary cell. The gonimoblast arises apically from the auxiliary cell and not laterally in conjunction with the connecting filament. Male gametophytes were not observed (Ref. 82093).
Biology:  Predaea weldii is characterised by its rectilinear-shaped cortical cells, the lack of gland cells, the relatively sparse and large nutritive cells and the gonimoblasts, which arise apically from the auxiliary cells (Ref. 82093).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:   
 

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