Common Intertidal and Subtidal Algae Species In British Columbia

The following is a list of algae species found in the tidal waters of British Columbia compiled by Dr. W.C. Austin. The approximate number of known species in BC for each major group is shown in [  ] Note that the descriptors are not necessarily accepted common names.

CYANOBACTERIA [25+?]
BLUE GREEN ALGAE

Supratidal

Rivularia, Black Turf  : Dark Green Slippery Surface

High intertidal

Rivularia, Black Turf  : Dark Green Slippery Surface

Mid intertidal

Rivularia, Black Turf  : Dark Green Slippery Surface

XANTHOPHYTA  [4]
YELLOW-GREEN ALGAE: ON MUD

BACILLARIOPHYTA  [300]

Supratidal

Blidingia spp., Green Sea Hair
Enteromorpha spp., Wrinkled Green Tube Seaweed
Prasiola meridionals, Green Guano Seaweed

High intertidal

Various planktonic, pools
Various thin cast on rocks
Unbranched filaments, Green Sea Hair
Cladophora spp., Branching Green Filament Seaweed
Enteromorpha spp., Wrinkled Green Tube Seaweed
Rhizoclonum sp., green mat
Ulva spp., Sea Lettuce

Mid intertidal

Various thin cast on rocks
Unbranched filaments, Green Sea Hair
Acrosiphonia spp., Green Rope Weed
Blidingia spp., Green Sea Hair
Sodium fragile, Dark Green Finger Seaweed
Enteromorpha spp., Wrinkled Green Tube Seaweed
Monostroma spp., Mono-layer Sea Lettuce
Ulvaria obscura, Olive Sheltered Sea Lettuce
Ulva funestata, Perforated Sea Lettuce
Ulva spp., Sea Lettuce

Low intertidal

Various thin cast on rocks
Sodium setchellii, Dark Green Spongy Seaweed
Sodium setchellii, Dark Green Spongy Seaweed
Monostroma spp., Mono-layer Sea Lettuce
Ulva spp., Sea Lettuce

underwater, subtidal

High intertidal

Fucus gardneri, Common Brown Rock Weed
Fucus spiralis, Hairy Pit Rock Weed
Melanosiphon intestinalis, Yellow Spaghetti Weed

Mid intertidal

Alaria marginata, Short Stipe Alaria
Alaria nana, Small Alaria
Alaria tenuifolia/praelonga, Long Stipe Alarias
Analipus abietina (ex. Heterocordaria), Yellow Bottle Brush
Colpomenia spp., Globose Sac
Hedophyllum sessile, Sea Cabbage
Leathesia difformis, Convoluted Yellow Sac
Phaeostrophon irregular, Small Smooth Blade
Postelsia palmaeformis, Sea Palm
Ralfsia sp., Yellow-Brown Thin Crust
Scytosiphon simplicissimus (ex S. lomentaria), Mini-sausage Links

Low intertidal

Agarum fimbriatum, Solid Broad Kelp
Agarum cribrosum, Perforated Broad Kelp
Coilodesme bulligera, Flat Sac
Cost aria costata, Multi-ribbed Searsucker
Cymothere triplicate, Multi-ribbed Smooth Blade
Desmarestia aculeate, Fine Branched Brown
Desmarestia ligulata, Broad Branched Brown
Egregia menziesii, Feather Boa
Eisenia arborio, Bifurcate straplike stipe
Haplogluoia andersonii, Furry Soft Branch
Laminaria bongardiana (ex groenlandica), dissected Laminaria  Laminaria saccarina, Sugar Kelp
Laminaria setchellii, Stiff Laminaria
Lessoniopsis littoralis, Knarled Tough Root Weed
Macrocystis integrifolia, Branching Giant Kelp
Nereocystis luetkeana, Bull Kelp
Pterygophora californica, erect strap stipe seaweed
Sargassum muticum, Japanese Weed
Pleurophycus gardner, 1 mid-rib kelp

 
Cryptonema obovate, red brown thick blade

Gelidivum coulter, Blunt-bent tip NON Candelabra

High intertidal

Bangia vermicularis, Red Sea Hair
Cumagloia anderson, Gelatinous Spiny Fat Branches
Corallina vancouveriensis, Bushy Cylindrical Coralline
Endocladia muricate, Thin Dark Spiny Wires
Gloiopeltis furcate, Small Gelatinous Sparse Branching Gracilaria pacifica, Large Gelatinous Irregular Branching Halosaccion glandiforme, Fine Spray Sea Sacs
Iridaea cordata, Purple Iridescent Broad Blades
Lithothamnion/phyllum, pink hard Crust
Mastigocarpus papillatus, Black Waxy Crust
Nemalion helminthoides, Brown Spaghetti
Odonthalia spp., Dark Dense Knob-tip Branches
Plocamium cartilagineum, Alternate Sided Outcurved Flat Branches
Plocamium violaceum, Alternate Sides Incurved Flat Branches
Porphyra spp., Translucent Steel Grey/Purplish Green
Prionitis lanceolata, Rail Road Strap; Small Lateral Blades on Lance
Hildenbrandia occidentalis, Dark Red Thin Crust
Iridaea cornucopiae, Yellow-brown Flaring Small Blades Mastigocarpus papillatus, Small Papillate Straps
Mastigocarpus papillatus, Black Waxy Crust
Microcladia borealis, One Sided Round Branches
Neorhodomela larix, Black Tufted Bottle Brush
"Petrocelis" stage, Thick Tarspots
Porphyra spp., Translucent Steel Grey/Purplish Green
Rhodochorton purpureum, Light Red Shaded Crust

Mid intertidal

Calliarthron/Bossiella spp., Broad Joint Corallines
Callithamnion pikeanum, Dark Elongate Seamoss
Corallina officinalis, Sparse Cylindrical Coralline
Corallina vancouveriensis, Bushy Cylindrical Coralline
Cryptosiphonia woodii, Dark Branching Knob Tip
Anti/etc.-thamnions, Red Branching Fluff
Prionitis lyalli, Lateral Lances on Lance
Rhodoglossum affine, Short Dichotomous Twisted Branches

Low intertidal

Ahnfeltia gigartinoides, Thick Wiry Dark Weed
Ahnfeltia plicate, Thin Wiry Dark Weed
Anti/etc.-thamnions, Red Branching Fluff
Bonnemaisonia nootkana, Delicate Red Feather
Callophyllis, etc. spp., Non-veined red leafy
Ceramium spp., Micro-cross bands
Constantine simplex, Cup & Saucer
Constantine subulifera, Eccentric Cup & Saucer
Cryptopleura ruprechtiana (ex Botryoglossum), Ruffled Net Vein
Delessaria decipiens , Veinless Leaflet Edged
Erythrophyllum delesserioides , Tattered Veined Leaf
Farlowia mollis , Ragged Branching Straps
Gastiroclonium subarticulatum, Narrow Neck Branching Cylinders
Gelidivum purpurescens, Blunt-tip Candelabra
Gigartina corymbifera , Broad Turkish Towel
Gigartina exasperate , Elongate Turkish Towel
Gigartina harveyana, Rough-strap Turkish Towel
Gymnogongrus leptophyllus, Short Bifurcated-tip Straps
Iridaea heterocarpa, Brownish Iridescent Broad Blades
Iridaea lineare, Purple, Rubbery Elongate Blades
Laurencia spectabilis, Flat Stiff Pinnate Branches
Lithothrix aspergillum, Pink Stick Coralline
Membranoptera dimorpha, Veined Leaflet Edged
Gymnogongrus linearis, Long Bifurcated-tip Straps
Microcladia coulteri, Alternate Sided Round Branches
Nienburgia andersoniana, Spiny Lateral Bladelets
Opuntiella californica, Ovoid & Lateral Bladelets
Phycodrys setchellii, Veined Blades on Stolon
Pikea californica, Pointed-tip Candelabra
Polyneura latissima, Smooth Net Vein
Polysiphonia sp., tier celled fine tufts
Prionitis linearis, Wiry Spiny Tips
Ptilota spp., Serrate Edged Blades
Rhodomenia pertusa, Perforated Red Broad Blades
Rhodoptilum plumosum, red feathers}
Sarcodiotheca gaudichaudi, Large One-Plane Pink Branching
Schizymenia pacifica, Broad Soft Slippery Blades
Stenogramme interrupta, Broad Bifurcate Straps

underwater, subtidal

Rhodochorton purpureum, Light Red Shaded Crust