Udotea

The Udotea is a green marine algae of the Udoteaceae family.It appears as if it were a small fan; the color is green and is fixed to the rocky substratum with thin rhizoids. It is present throughout the Mediterranean Sea. It is a typical algae of the coralligenous environment that tolerates light at low intensity, but it is possible to observe it even a few meters deep. Udoteaceae are generally described based on vegetative characters of fully-developed thalli. Most species of Udotea tend to have blades that are single or multiple layers with branching siphons attaching to adjacent siphons. In some species, a characteristic similar to Udoteacean genera are observed such as small protuberances or attachments on the sides of the blades. An issue on monophyly may arise among Udotean species as some exhibit similar blade characteristics of other genera such as Flabellia and Halimeda. In some, blades lacking cortex, appearing as a brush may resemble Rhipocephalus, Rhipidosiphon, Rhipiliopsis, or Tydemania. l’udotea

Udotea have rhizoids serving as an anchor in attaching to substrate, mostly in the sediment while previous studies have also shown that Udotea are also involved in the formation of seagrasses. Upon its death, the sediment benefits through its calcified thalli, producing sand, organic compounds, contributing to reef building and improving the sediment as it decomposes. Apart from being primary producers, Udotea can be found co-inhabit with other marine macroalga from Udoteaceae wherein their presence are useful in seeking refuge, providing food, and calcium carbonate. l’udotea

(extract from Wikipedia)

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