Dictyota binghamiae
| Mermaid's glove | |
|---|---|
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| Dictyota binghamiae in an exhibit at Birch Aquarium | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | SAR |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Phylum: | Gyrista |
| Subphylum: | Ochrophytina |
| Class: | Phaeophyceae |
| Order: | Dictyotales |
| Family: | Dictyotaceae |
| Genus: | Dictyota |
| Species: | D. binghamiae
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| Binomial name | |
| Dictyota binghamiae (J.Agardh, 1894)
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| Synonyms | |
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Dictyota binghamiae, commonly known as mermaid's glove, is a species of brown algae found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from British Columbia to Baja California. This species was named in honor of phycologist Caroline Bingham.
Description
[edit]
D. binghamiae is a brown algae species that can reach up to 40 cm in length, with each branch between 1 and 1.5 cm in width.[1][2] Blades are dichotomously branched with rounded tips and small marginal teeth.[1][2] The color of the blade is darker at the base and lighter at the tips.[1] Branches do not contain midribs.[1] This species attaches to the substrate using a flattened, irregularly shaped holdfast.[3] New branches can sprout off directly from the holdfast. D. binghamiae can commonly be found with boreholes, which are caused by a copepods.[3]
Organisms can be male, female, tetrasporic, or possess no reproductive structures. Males possess white oval-shaped sori. Males with a high density of sori can appear rough or mottled. Female plants contain dark-colored sori on both sides of branches. Females typically contain less sori than males. Tetrasporic individuals are distinguished from females by the arrangement, increased size, and decreased abundance of sori.[3]
The genus name Dictyota comes from the Greek word diktyōtē, which means "net-like".[4][5] D. binghamiae is one of the largest members of its genus, which contains over 200 species.[3] This species was described by Jacob Georg Agardh in 1984 and was named after phycologist Caroline Bingham, who often shared materials and collaborated with Agardh.[2]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]D. binghamiae can be found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from British Columbia to Baja California.[1] This species is common on small rocks and coral in the intertidal and subtidal zones to a depth of up to 30 m.[1][2][5]
Reproduction
[edit]Male and female reproductive systems are found on separate individuals.[3] This species is also capable of asexual reproduction through stolons.[1] Studies suggest that tetrasporic individuals are more common than separately sexed individuals.[3] Individuals can also contain no sexual structures at all.[3]
Natural products
[edit]Like other members of the family Dictyotaceae, D. binghamiae is a source of diterpinoids. This species contains pachydictyol A, dictyoxide, dictyoxide A, dictyol G acetate, and dictyotriol A diacetate.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Mermaid's gloves • Dictyota binghamiae". Biodiversity of the Central Coast. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- ^ a b c d Marine algae of California. Abbott, Isabella Aiona, Hollenberg, George J. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press. 1976. ISBN 978-0804708678. OCLC 3242465.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b c d e f g Foster, M.; Neushul, M.; Chi, E. Y. (1972). "Growth and Reproduction of Dictyota binghamiae J. G. AGARDH". Botanica Marina. 15 (2). doi:10.1515/botm.1972.15.2.96. ISSN 0006-8055. S2CID 86458993.
- ^ "Definition of DICTYOTA". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- ^ a b Druehl, Louis D. (2000). Pacific seaweeds: a guide to common seaweeds of the West Coast. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 978-1550172409. OCLC 46619632.
- ^ Pathirana, Charles; Andersen, Raymond J. (1984). "Diterpenoids from the brown alga Dictyota binghamiae". Canadian Journal of Chemistry. 62 (9): 1666–1671. doi:10.1139/v84-286. ISSN 0008-4042.