Colpomenia peregrina Sauvageau
Known is some areas as the Oyster Thief
Description: Plants baloon-like when young, becoming contorted and collapsed with age, brown when young to yellow-brown when older, to 250 mm. Frond thin, papery, delicate, and filled with seawater when young, hollow and empty when older.
Habitat: Generally growing epiphytically on Corallina officinalis and other algae, and on mussels and oysters. It most obvious in spring reaching its maximum size in May in Ireland.
Key characteristics: Not solid and gelatinous like Leathesia difformis, which persists all year around.
Note: An introduced species, probably by means of shellfish movements. Plants are reputed to inflate with gas and to float away with small oysters; thus the common name.
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