Rhodophyta · Red Seaweed

Ahnfeltia fastigiata

(Endlicher) Makienko
Phylum
Rhodophyta
Class
Florideophyceae
Order
Ahnfeltiales
Family
Ahnfeltiaceae

Ahnfeltia fastigiata

Bushy ahnfelt's seaweed

Authority
(Endlicher) Makienko
Thallus is wiry, dark purple to black, growing in tufts to 15 cm (6 in) tall. Branches are repeatedly dichotomously branched, to 0.5 mm (0.02 in) diameter.

Habitat

This tough perennial is slow growing and found on rock, often associated with sand, in the mid to low intertidal of semi-exposed to semi-protected habitats. It sometimes occurs unattached in balls.

North Pacific Distribution

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to northern Baja California, Mexico; Korea; Japan; Russia

Former scientific names

Chondrus fastigiatus, Gymnogongrus fastigiatus, Gigartina fastigiata

Similar taxa

Ahnfeltia borealis looks identical but occurs from the northern Bering Sea north.

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos