Compsopogon
Genus of algae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Compsopogon caeruleus, known as staghorn algae, is a species of red algae that lives in fresh water. It is a common nuisance in freshwater aquaria.[1] It is the only species in the genus Compsopogon and the only representative of the family Compsopogonaceae. It is found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa,[2] Asia, Australasia and Oceania. Compsopogon can tolerate a wide range of conditions in freshwater streams and occasionally in brackish lagoons and estuaries.[3] It propagates by asexual spores.
| Compsopogon | |
|---|---|
| |
| Compsopogon sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| (unranked): | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | Compsopogonaceae |
| Genus: | Compsopogon |
| Species: | C. caeruleus |
| Binomial name | |
| Compsopogon caeruleus (Balbis ex C.Agardh) Montagne | |
Compsopogon presents a thallus of simple cylindrical cells inside large covered cortical cells. In more mature and large thallus interior cells can be disintegrated, leaving only the outer cortex.
The species exhibits a wide phenotypic plasticity in studies such as field observations, with the result that historically many species have been described, when current thought treats it as a single species. There are two main morphologies in Compsopogon, one displaying regular cortical cells (morphology caeruleus), the other having cells with extra rhizoidals (morphology leptoclados).[4]
