Classification ⁸

Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Ectocarpales
Family: Chordariaceae
Source URL: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=nf66c7c604cbba2ac

Summary ⁹

Leathesia difformis, the sea potato, is a species of littoral brown algae in the class Phaeophyceae and the order Ectocarpales which is commonly attached to other seaweeds and sometimes rocks. When young, the organism is solid but as it matures it become hollow and somewhat convoluted and has the appearance of a small leathery brown bag about the same size as a tennis ball. The texture is rubbery and the outer surface smooth.

Habitat ¹⁰

Mid to low intertidal zones.

Habitat ¹¹

Depth range based on 91 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 15 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 23.77
  Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 16.004
  Nitrate (umol/L): 2.839 - 6.151
  Salinity (PPS): 34.935 - 35.363
  Oxygen (ml/l): 5.952 - 6.200
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.709
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 6.221

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 23.77

Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 16.004

Nitrate (umol/L): 2.839 - 6.151

Salinity (PPS): 34.935 - 35.363

Oxygen (ml/l): 5.952 - 6.200

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.709

Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 6.221
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this note. Your feedback is most welcome.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Velela, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leathesia_difformis.jpg
2. (c) islandstewards, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
3. (c) Wendy Feltham, all rights reserved, uploaded by Wendy Feltham
4. (c) Rebecca Johnson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rebecca Johnson
5. (c) Chen Lu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chen Lu
6. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/jcs-leathesia-difformis-58514.jpg
7. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/jcs-leathesia-difformis-58513.jpg
8. (c) Joseph deVeer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
9. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leathesia_difformis
10. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/16900775
11. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/17395702

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Range Map

(c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

iNat Map