Chorda filum

Mermaid’s Tresses

Species group: Algae

Found in: Seagrass and macroalgae in Puget Sound

Data Sources

Classification

Kingdom:

Chromista

Phylum:

Phaeophyta

Class:

Phaeophyceae

Order:

Laminariales

Family:

Chordaceae

Genus:

Chorda

Encyclopedia of Life

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Source:
http://eol.org/pages/893210/details

Brief Summary
Comprehensive Description
Distribution
Diagnostic Description
Habitat
Molecular Biology

Brief Summary

Mermaid's tresses resembles extremely long, round, smooth brown shoe strings. Or locks of hair (tresses). It may seem like a strange name nowadays, but perhaps its name dates back to the days when people believed in mermaids! The base of this seaweed has a small holdfast with which it attaches itself to stones or shells. However, it doesn't always need to be attached to something solid in order to grow. Mermaid's tresses is fairly common in the Wadden Sea. It is less common in the delta region.

Source:

Ecomare

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

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Comprehensive Description

Description

Chorda filum is a brown seaweed with long cord-like fronds, only 5 mm thick in diameter. The fronds are hollow, slippery, unbranched and grow up to 8 m long. The species attaches to the substratum using a small discoid holdfast. It is an annual species, disappearing in winter.Other common names include mermaid's tresses and cat gut.

Source:

Marine Life Information Network

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Rights Holder:

 The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Distribution

Arctic Ocean, Belgian Coast, Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, European waters (ERMS scope), Gulf of Maine, Irish Exclusive economic Zone, Knokke, Mediterranean Sea, North West Atlantic, Norway, Oostduinkerke, Polish Exclusive Economic Zone, Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wadden Sea, Wimereux, Zeebrugge

References:

Leewis, R. (2002). Flora en fauna van de zee [Marine flora and fauna]. Veldgids, 16. KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5011-153-X. 320 pp.
Müller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)
Streftaris, N.; Zenetos, A.; Papathanassiou, E. (2005). Globalisation in marine ecosystems: the story of non-indigenous marine species across European seas. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 43: 419-453
Stegenga, H.; Mol, I. (1983). Flora van de Nederlandse zeewieren [Flora of the Dutch seaweeds]. Natural History Library of the KNNV, 33. Koninklijke Nederlandse Natuurhistorische Vereniging (KNNV): Hoogwoud, The Netherlands. 263 pp.
Coppejans, E. (1998). Flora van de Noord-Franse en Belgische zeewieren [Marine algae of northern France and Belgium]. Nationale Plantentuin van België: Meise, Belgium. ISBN 90-72619-41-2. 462 pp.
Rappé, G. (1991). Invasive washing ashore of Sea Lace Chorda filum [Invasieachtig aanspoelen van Veterwier Chorda filum]. De Strandvlo 11(1): 29-30
De Clerck, O. & Pauly, K. 2010. Pers. com.
Vanhaelen, M.-Th. (1990). Observations at Koksijde and Oostduinkerke after the heavy winter storms of 26-27 February and 1-2 March 1990 [Waarnemingen te Koksijde en Oostduinkerke na de zware winterstormen van 26-27 februari en 1-2 maart 1990]. De Strandvlo 10(4): 88-92
Guiry, M.D. (2001). Macroalgae of Rhodophycota, Phaeophycota, Chlorophycota, and two genera of Xanthophycota, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 20-38
Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA) database, compiled by Ann Knowlton.
MEDIN (2011). UK checklist of marine species derived from the applications Marine Recorder and UNICORN, version 1.0.
Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2011). Species.ie version 1.0 World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway (version of 15 March 2010).
Kedra, M. (2010). A Checklist of marine species occurring in Polish marine waters, compiled in the framework of the PESI EU FP7 project.
Dyntaxa (2013) Swedish Taxonomic Database. Accessed at www.dyntaxa.se [15-01-2013].

Source:

World Register of Marine Species

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Distribution

Long Island Sound to Strait of Belle Isle

References:

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

Source:

World Register of Marine Species

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Diagnostic Description

Morphology

Brown colour results from the dominance of the xanthophyll fucoxanthin; this masks the other pigments, Chlorophyll a and c (no chlorophyll b), beta-carotene and other xanthophylls.

References:

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

Source:

World Register of Marine Species

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Habitat

solitary or clumped, heavily epiphytized by mid-summer

References:

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

Source:

World Register of Marine Species

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Habitat

Known from rocky shores.

References:

Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA) database, compiled by Ann Knowlton.

Source:

World Register of Marine Species

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Depth range based on 145 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 20 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 25.6
  Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348
  Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121
  Salinity (PPS): 35.184 - 35.363
  Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.200
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.439
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.285

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 25.6

Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348

Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121

Salinity (PPS): 35.184 - 35.363

Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.200

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.439

Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.285

Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Source:

Ocean Biogeographic Information System

License:

Habitat

Found in rock pools on the low shore and in the sublittoral down to 5 m. It is most commonly found in sheltered bays attached to stones and shells, often with the holdfast buried in sand.

Source:

Marine Life Information Network

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Rights Holder:

 The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Molecular Biology

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Chorda filum

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 21
Species With Barcodes: 1

Source:

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rights Holder:

Barcode of Life Data Systems

NatureServe

NatureServe Explorer

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.830367

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Chorda filum

Mermaid’s Tresses

Data Sources

Table of Contents

Brief Summary