Description ¹⁸

 Chondrus crispus is a small purplish-red seaweed (up to 22 cm long) found on rocky shores and in pools. The fronds grow dichotomously from a narrow, unbranched stipe and are flat and wide with rounded tips. This seaweed is highly variable in appearance depending on the level of wave exposure of the shore and has a tendency to turn green in strong sunlight. Underwater, the tips of the frond can be iridescent.Also known as Irish moss. Together with Mastocarpus stellatus, Chondrus crispus is harvested commercially as carrageen to be used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. May be confused with Mastocarpus stellatus, although the latter species has a rounded stipe, channeled fronds and papillate reproductive bodies.

Taxon biology ¹⁹

Irish moss is a red seaweed found in large colonies on stones and rocks in shallow water. Irish moss is also called carragheen, because it contains so much carrageenan. Carrageenan is used as a thickener and stabilizer in many products, including ice cream and lunch meats. The Scots use this seaweed for making a kind of tapioca pudding. The seaweed is found in the Atlantic Ocean and adjoining waters, such as the North Sea and parts of the Baltic Sea.

Distribution ²⁰

Widespread around the British Isles including the Shetlands. Europe: Azores, Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Norway and Iceland. Atlantic coast of North America: Canada and the United States from Maine to Delaware.

Habitat ²¹

 Abundant on rocks on the middle to lower rocky shore and in tide pools. It occurs sublittorally to 24 m. It can tolerate some reduction in salinity and can be found in estuaries.

Habitat ²²

Depth range based on 407 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 38 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 34.75
  Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348
  Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121
  Salinity (PPS): 35.008 - 35.363
  Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.346
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.335 - 0.439
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.727

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 34.75

Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348

Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121

Salinity (PPS): 35.008 - 35.363

Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.346

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.335 - 0.439

Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.727
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this note. Your feedback is most welcome.

Type information ²³

Type locality: N. Atlantic Ocean

Sources and Credits

1. (c) nz_willowherb, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/willowherb/6137611888/
2. (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/6972256608/
3. (c) Christophe Quintin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/34878947@N04/6850252459/
4. (c) Marie Studer, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Marie Studer
5. (c) Gwen Landis, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gwen Landis
6. (c) Nina chandler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nina chandler
7. (c) faerthen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by faerthen
8. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/JCS-Chondrus-crispus-15580.jpg
9. (c) National Museums Northern Ireland and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/algae/dsc_2426.jpg
10. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/PhotosMedium/JCS%20Chondrus%20crispus%2029596.jpg
11. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/PhotosMedium/JCS%20Chondrus%20crispus%2015577.jpg
12. (c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=101665
13. (c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=101666
14. (c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=101667
15. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/Chondrus-crispus-00007.JPG
16. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/Chondrus-crispus-00006.JPG
17. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/Chondrus-crispus-00005.JPG
18. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10657517
19. (c) Copyright Ecomare, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/22757886
20. (c) National Museums Northern Ireland and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/5972518
21. (c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10657518
22. Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/17404245
23. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28549634

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
• CalPhotos
• Flora Digital de Portugal
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos

Range Map

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