A Caulerpa Newly Recorded for the West Indies

Taylor, William

The algal genus Caulerpa (Chlorophyceae : Siphonales : Caulerpaceae) has long been one of the most famous among algae for its many peculiarities. Structurally the absence of cross-walls as normal elements, with the substitution of trabeculae for their mechanical advantages, is well known. Reproduction by motile cells, presumably sexual, is rarely observed and only known for a few species, so that multiplication may be chiefly vegetative. It is not a very large genus, but at least a few representatives are found in most tropical and subtropical seas. Only a few very distinctive species have severely limited geographic ranges. Most range widely and are very variable in form. Several are found generally around the world at suitable latitudes, in spite of their seemingly vulnerable structure and infrequent reproductive activity.

A Caulerpa Newly Recorded for the West Indies

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