A biological study of Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot and D ...

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clumps of Pachyme~ia ZU8oria, Gigartina pachymeniodes. Gigartina sp.3,
and an as yet undescribed species of Polysiphonia'·. In the 10'..;e:c
two thirds of each area there was less bare rock, mainly because
20-40% of the surface Nas covered with pink, dark red and reddi8h
brown pa'tches of paini::.-l ike algae 5. Sca'ttered throughout this lower
region were clumps of CoraZZina ouvieri. Ballia hirsuta, Gigartina
angulata, G, aircumoincta, StreblocZadia glomerata, Chondria sp.,
Ge lidiwn miarophy llum, Po lysiphonia sp" and Codium adhaeY'ens. Marty
other sea\~eeds
were also present (Table 9.1) especially along- the
lower frirtge of the experimental areas. but the speCies listed above
were the most common. The green mussel Perna ~analiculus Gmelin was
also very common in this lower region. Excluding the paint-like
patches of algae, these species were initially recorded on 30-45% of
the points along permanent line transects.
a Up to 20 em tall, flattened thallus, lobed carposporangia, borne
marginally, dichotomous branching. Within the "decipiens"
complex. See Adams 1972;81.
~ Two species are present. The most common has 18-20 peri central
cells and is a new species (Adams pers, comm. 1975). The other
which may also be a \new ,species, possesses four peri central cells.
I t
seems unlikely, however, that the taxon "implexa." applies to
this four celled species, because the type, collected by Raoul,
appears to have been growing amongst Zostera, and came from 8.
sheltered locality on Banks Peninsula.
s
These paint-like patches of algae are notoriously difficult to
identify" SOllIe may be a phase of better known se2vleeds. One
reddish brown species with a rough surface is Hildenbrandia
lecannellier.i (WELT A718S) .
A much more cammon dark red species
with a smooth, slippery surface, and a plastic texture, may also
be a species of Hildenbrandia Less common are the dark brown
patches of Hapalospongidion saxigenum (confined to the ~pper fringe
of the kelp zone) . One hard p olive green, encrusting species.
_more common at Kaikoura than Tautuku, is a lichen. 'l'he widesprea.d,
pale pink species with a chalky appearance is probably a
Lithothamnion.