Corallina officinalis Linnaeus, 1758

Common Names:   Common Coral Weed. Cúnach Trá (Gaeil.)
Description: Whitish-pink to lilac, calcified, articulated fronds, 60-70 (–20) mm high, axis cylindrical to compressed, repeatedly pinnate from and expanded discoid base, branchng often irregular. Growth form very variable, often stunted. In unfavourable habitats erect system vestigial, but extensive base may be present.
: On rock, midtidal pools and drainage runnels, lower intertidal and shallow subtidal, widespread and abundant, especially on exposed coasts.
Distribution: Widely distributed, common.
Similar species: Jania squamata, a rare and beautiful species in Ireland and Britain found inwave-exposed, lower-shore rock pools, has shield-shaped articulations and can be difficult to distinguish from C. officinalis. Ellisolandia elongata is smaller and more regularly branched; the recently described species Corallina berteroi is more caespitose, very small, and has strongly compressed terminal articulations.
Link: AlgaeBase

Hippolyte leptocerus (Heller, 1863), a prawn, has evolved a very effective camouflage for living on Corallina. The picture below shows a specimen about 10 mm long, taken by Dave Fenwick (http://www.aphotomarine.com) in Cornwall.

Corallina photographs © M.D. Guiry; Hippolyte © Dave Fenwick.

Species list