Colpomenia peregrina
Encyclopedia
Colpomenia peregrina Hamel is a seaweed
(alga) not native to the British Isles
but recorded in Ireland
since 1934. It appears to have been introduced from the Pacific and was first noticed in Europe
in 1906 on oyster
beds. It has now been recorded throughout the eastern north Atlantic from Norway
and Sweden
to Portugal
. It was first recorded in Britain
in 1908 and in Ireland
in 1934.
There are two species in Europe: C. sinuosa (Mert.) Derb. & Sol. and C. peregrina (Sauvageau) Hamel. C. sinuosa was present at least as far back as the 1840s in Spain
and C.peregrina was introduced and first noticed by oyster fishermen in the Bay of Biscay
in 1906. It was first noticed in Britain in 1907 in Cornwall
and Dorset
.
The two species are superficially similar and in older texts, such as Knight and Parke (1931), C.peregrina is referred to as C.sinuosa.
Leathesia difformis (L.) Aresch. is similar, it is yellow brown in colour, fleshy and mucilaginous in texture. It is globose and smooth when young becoming hollow and convoluted with age and growing to 5 cms in diameter. http://www.algaebase.org/speciesdetail.lasso?species_id=74&sk=0&from=results&-session=abv3:51909EC30c6771DDE8LghID6A331 It is easily distinguished as it readily squashes when pressed under finger and thumb.
Herbarium (BEL) from: Co. Donegal in the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland
and Wales
under the catalogue museum numbers: F11254; F3136; F7675; F6154; F1682; F1693; F7491; F7674; F4254; F4254 and F1832.
Colpomenia peregrina has been recorded in Ireland from Counties: Down
, Donegal
, Kerry
, Galway
, Clare
and Cork
. Apparently this alga was first recorded in Ireland by M.J.Lynn from Strangford Lough
in March 1934 and from Lough Larne
near Ballycarry and Magheramorne in 1935. It was also recorded from Portballintrae, on the north coast, and in the south at Lough Ine. In 1936 it was found at Rush (County Dublin
) and at Killough (County Down). There are further records of from: Portstewart
(County Londonderry
), cast ashore at Hood's Ferry, Islandmagee (opposite Larne), (County Antrim
). It is now abundant.
Britain:
Generally around the British Isles. In Hardy and Guiry (2006) it is shown to be generally recorded around Ireland, south west England
, Wales and the west coast of Scotland
. Records from the east of Scotland are few and it not shown as present on the east or south east coast of England.
It is noted as a recent addition to the flora (as C. sinuosa in Knight and Parke (1931).
Europe:
C. peregrina was first recorded in Europe
in 1908.Mediterranean.
America (west):
Alaska to La Jolla, California.
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...
(alga) not native to the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
but recorded in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
since 1934. It appears to have been introduced from the Pacific and was first noticed in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1906 on oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
beds. It has now been recorded throughout the eastern north Atlantic from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. It was first recorded in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in 1908 and in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1934.
Classification
Colpomenia is a brown alga in the Phylum, or Division, (Heterokontophyta), the Class Phaeophyceae and the Order Sphacelariales.Description
Colpomenia peregrina (syn. Colpomenia sinuosa (Mertens ex Roth) Derbès et Solier var. peregrina Sauvageau) is a small brown alga, bladder-like, hollow and membranous, up to 9 cms across. The surface is thin and smooth but often collapsed or torn when older. Olive brown in colour and attached by rhizoidal filaments to rock at the base.There are two species in Europe: C. sinuosa (Mert.) Derb. & Sol. and C. peregrina (Sauvageau) Hamel. C. sinuosa was present at least as far back as the 1840s in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and C.peregrina was introduced and first noticed by oyster fishermen in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
in 1906. It was first noticed in Britain in 1907 in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
The two species are superficially similar and in older texts, such as Knight and Parke (1931), C.peregrina is referred to as C.sinuosa.
Leathesia difformis (L.) Aresch. is similar, it is yellow brown in colour, fleshy and mucilaginous in texture. It is globose and smooth when young becoming hollow and convoluted with age and growing to 5 cms in diameter. http://www.algaebase.org/speciesdetail.lasso?species_id=74&sk=0&from=results&-session=abv3:51909EC30c6771DDE8LghID6A331 It is easily distinguished as it readily squashes when pressed under finger and thumb.
Specimens
There are specimens stored in the Ulster MuseumUlster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
Herbarium (BEL) from: Co. Donegal in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
under the catalogue museum numbers: F11254; F3136; F7675; F6154; F1682; F1693; F7491; F7674; F4254; F4254 and F1832.
Distribution
Ireland:Colpomenia peregrina has been recorded in Ireland from Counties: Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
, Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
and Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Apparently this alga was first recorded in Ireland by M.J.Lynn from Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough, sometimes Strangford Loch, is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. The name Strangford is derived ; describing the fast-flowing narrows at its mouth...
in March 1934 and from Lough Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
near Ballycarry and Magheramorne in 1935. It was also recorded from Portballintrae, on the north coast, and in the south at Lough Ine. In 1936 it was found at Rush (County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
) and at Killough (County Down). There are further records of from: Portstewart
Portstewart
Portstewart is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,803 people in the 2001 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Of the two towns, Portstewart is decidedly quieter with more sedate attractions. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an...
(County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
), cast ashore at Hood's Ferry, Islandmagee (opposite Larne), (County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
). It is now abundant.
Britain:
Generally around the British Isles. In Hardy and Guiry (2006) it is shown to be generally recorded around Ireland, south west England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales and the west coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Records from the east of Scotland are few and it not shown as present on the east or south east coast of England.
It is noted as a recent addition to the flora (as C. sinuosa in Knight and Parke (1931).
Europe:
C. peregrina was first recorded in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1908.Mediterranean.
America (west):
Alaska to La Jolla, California.
Further references
- Blackler, H. 1939. The occurrence of Colpomenia sinuosa (Mert) Derb et Sol., in Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 7: 215.
- Lund, Sren., 1945. On Colpomenia peregrinsa and its occurrence in Danish waters. Report of Danish Biological Station.
External links
- AlgaeBase Site for more pictures and details.
- The Seaweed Site for pictures and a description.
- http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/zebra_2.pdf Department of the Environment:Zebra Mussel.