Caulerpa
Encyclopedia
Caulerpa is a genus of seaweed
s in the family Caulerpaceae
(among the green algae). They are unusual because they consist of only one cell with many nuclei
, making them among the biggest single cells in the world. A species in the Mediterranean can have a stolon
more than 3 metres (9 ft) long, with up to 200 frond
s.
and Caulerpa racemosa
) are eaten under the names sea grape or green caviar or umi-budo in Okinawa. They have a peppery taste. Seagrapes are eaten in Indonesian cuisine, sometimes fresh, and othertimes coated in sugar
. They are raised in Cebu, for domestic consumption in the Philippines
as well as export to Japan
.
Caulerpin found in seagrapes can sometimes cause poison
ing.
, has become an invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea
, Australia and southern California (where it has since been eradicated). It is thought that Caulerpa species have such invasive properties in these regions due to their capability to thrive in temperate waters, along with their freedom from natural predators. Most Caulerpa species evolved in tropical waters, where herbivores have immunity to toxic compounds within the alga. Temperate water herbivores have no natural immunity to these toxins, allowing Caulerpa to grow unchecked if introduced to temperate waters. C. racemosa has recently been found in waters around Crete
, where it is thought to have contributed to a significant reduction in fisheries. The alga has invaded the area from the warmer waters of the Red Sea
.
In U.S. waters, the Mediterranean strain of Caulerpa taxifolia is listed as a federal noxious weed, under the Plant Protection Act. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Taskforce has also created a National Management Plan for the Genus Caulerpa. The state of California also prohibits possession of nine different species of Caulerpa.
instead.
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
s in the family Caulerpaceae
Caulerpaceae
In taxonomy, the Caulerpaceae are a family of algae, specifically of the Bryopsidales....
(among the green algae). They are unusual because they consist of only one cell with many nuclei
Cell nucleus
In cell biology, the nucleus is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material, organized as multiple long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins, such as histones, to form chromosomes. The genes within these...
, making them among the biggest single cells in the world. A species in the Mediterranean can have a stolon
Stolon
In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...
more than 3 metres (9 ft) long, with up to 200 frond
Frond
The term frond refers to a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group...
s.
Food use
Some species (especially Caulerpa lentilliferaCaulerpa lentillifera
Caulerpa lentillifera is one of the favored species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. They are also known as sea grapes, green caviar, "ar-arosep", or "lato" in the Philippines. C. lentillifera is farmed in the Philippines and in Okinawa where the plant is eaten fresh.The...
and Caulerpa racemosa
Caulerpa racemosa
Caulerpa racemosa is a species of green alga, a seaweed in the family Caulerpaceae. It is commonly known as sea grapes and is found in many areas of shallow sea around the world...
) are eaten under the names sea grape or green caviar or umi-budo in Okinawa. They have a peppery taste. Seagrapes are eaten in Indonesian cuisine, sometimes fresh, and othertimes coated in sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
. They are raised in Cebu, for domestic consumption in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
as well as export to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Possible risk of poisoning
Unconfirmed reports claim that the alkaloidAlkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
Caulerpin found in seagrapes can sometimes cause poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ing.
Invasive behaviour
Another species, Caulerpa taxifoliaCaulerpa taxifolia
Caulerpa taxifolia is a species of seaweed, an alga of the genus Caulerpa. Native to the Indian Ocean, it has been widely used ornamentally in aquariums. The alga has a stem which spreads horizontally just above the seafloor, and from this stem grow vertical fern-like pinnae, whose blades are flat...
, has become an invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, Australia and southern California (where it has since been eradicated). It is thought that Caulerpa species have such invasive properties in these regions due to their capability to thrive in temperate waters, along with their freedom from natural predators. Most Caulerpa species evolved in tropical waters, where herbivores have immunity to toxic compounds within the alga. Temperate water herbivores have no natural immunity to these toxins, allowing Caulerpa to grow unchecked if introduced to temperate waters. C. racemosa has recently been found in waters around Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, where it is thought to have contributed to a significant reduction in fisheries. The alga has invaded the area from the warmer waters of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
.
In U.S. waters, the Mediterranean strain of Caulerpa taxifolia is listed as a federal noxious weed, under the Plant Protection Act. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Taskforce has also created a National Management Plan for the Genus Caulerpa. The state of California also prohibits possession of nine different species of Caulerpa.
Use in aquariums
Caulerpa is common in the aquarium hobby as a nitrate absorber because of its rapid growth under relatively adverse conditions. It may also be used in refugiums for a long term nitrite absorber. Many introductions of invasive Caulerpa to the wild are thought to have occurred via aquarium dumping although there is no proof that this is so. For this reason, aquarium hobbyists have begun using chaeto or an Algae scrubberAlgae scrubber
An algae scrubber is a water filtering device which uses light to grow algae; in this process, undesirable chemicals are removed from the water...
instead.
Species
The species currently recognised are:- C. agardhii
- C. alternans
- C. annulata
- C. antoensis
- C. articulata
- C. ashmeadii
- C. bartoniae
- C. bikinensis
- C. biserrulata
- C. brachypus
- C. brownii
- C. buginensis
- C. cactoides
- C. carruthersii
- C. cliftonii
- C. constricta
- C. crassifolia
- C. cupressoides
- C. dichotoma
- C. diligulata
- C. distichophylla
- C. ellistoniae
- C. elongata
- C. falcifolia
- C. faridii
- C. fastigiata
- C. fergusonii
- C. filicoides
- C. filiformis
- C. flexilis
- C. floridana
- C. harveyi
- C. hedleyi
- C. heterophylla
- C. holmesiana
- C. imbricata
- C. juniperoides
- C. kempfii
- C. lagara
- C. lanuginosa
- C. lentilliferaCaulerpa lentilliferaCaulerpa lentillifera is one of the favored species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. They are also known as sea grapes, green caviar, "ar-arosep", or "lato" in the Philippines. C. lentillifera is farmed in the Philippines and in Okinawa where the plant is eaten fresh.The...
- C. lessonii
- C. longifolia
- C. macrophysa
- C. manorensis
- C. matsueana
- C. mexicana
- C. microphysa
- C. murrayi
- C. nummularia
- C. obscura
- C. okamurae
- C. oligophylla
- C. ollivieri
- C. opposita
- C. papillosa
- C. parvula
- C. paspaloides
- C. peltata
- C. pickeringii
- C. pinnata
- C. plumulifera
- C. proliferaCaulerpa proliferaCaulerpa prolifera is a species of green alga, a seaweed in the family Caulerpaceae. It is the type species of the genus Caulerpa, the type location being Alexandria, Egypt. It grows rapidly and forms dense stands on the sandy bed of shallow areas of sea.-Description:A plant of C...
- C. pusilla
- C. qureshii
- C. racemosaCaulerpa racemosaCaulerpa racemosa is a species of green alga, a seaweed in the family Caulerpaceae. It is commonly known as sea grapes and is found in many areas of shallow sea around the world...
- C. remotifolia
- C. reniformis
- C. reyesii
- C. scalpelliformis
- C. sedoides
- C. selago
- C. serrulata
- C. sertularioides
- C. seuratii
- C. simpliciuscula
- C. spathulata
- C. subserrata
- C. taxifoliaCaulerpa taxifoliaCaulerpa taxifolia is a species of seaweed, an alga of the genus Caulerpa. Native to the Indian Ocean, it has been widely used ornamentally in aquariums. The alga has a stem which spreads horizontally just above the seafloor, and from this stem grow vertical fern-like pinnae, whose blades are flat...
- C. trifaria
- C. urvilleana
- C. vanbossea
- C. veravalensis
- C. verticillata
- C. vesiculifera
- C. webbiana
- C. zeyheri
Further reading
External links
- Food and Agriculture Organization - Seaweeds used as human food
- ITIS report
- Largest Single Cell
- CISR: Caulerpa taxifolia or Killer Alga Center for Invasive Species Research page on Caulerpa taxifolia and Killer Alga