Centroceras gasparrinii (Menegh.) Kütz.

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus filamentous, deep red to brown, predominantly with erect axes to 4 cm tall and 100–150 μm diam., regularly or sparingly pseudodichotomously branched; apices usually forcipate. Nodes with 10–15 periaxial cells, each producing 2 acropetal and 1 basipetal cortical filaments. First acropetal initial bearing a spine or a vesicular cell, as well as an ellipsoidal or tapering cell, these generally with L:B < 2. Second acropetal initial bearing 1 acropetal cell and a basipetal cortical filament. Basipetal initial bearing 1 basipetal cortical filament. Vesicular cells ellipsoidal. Basipetal cortical filaments 11–13 cells long, forming a cortical layer over the axial cell, the individual filaments typically lying parallel, but their cells not (or rarely) transversely aligned.

Reproduction. Reproductive structures not observed.

Distribution. Widespread in most seas.

Habitat. Epilithic or epiphytic on a range of substrata.

[After J.M. Huisman in Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae: 382 (2018)]