Rhipocephalus phoenix (pinecone alga) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas)

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: Rhipocephalus phoenix (Ellis & Solander, 1786) - pinecone alga on shallow, aragonitic sandy seafloor. Rhipocephalus is a calcareous green alga - the nested circlets of flattened blades have tiny particles of aragonite (CaCO3 - calcium carbonate). After the alga dies and the soft parts decay away, the aragonitic portions become clay- & silt-sized seafloor sediments. A significant percentage of shallow seafloor and shoreline sediments in the Bahamas is from calcareous algae. Many carbonate petrologists suggest that ancient fine-grained limestones (micritic limestones; micrites) are diagenetically altered deposits of calcareous green algae. The pale green cup-on-a-stalk on the right side of the photo is Acetabularia, the Mermaid's wine-glass alga. The fuzzy whitish-green organism behind & to the left of the pinecone alga at center is Batophora, a dasyclad green alga. Classification of Rhipocephalus: Chlorophyta, Bryopsidales, Udoteaceae Locality: shallow seafloor just west of North Point Peninsula, southeastern Graham's Harbour, northeastern San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas. Date: 22 June 2010, 09:42. Source: Rhipocephalus phoenix (pinecone alga) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 1. Author: James St. John. Other versions: : This file has been extracted from another file: Rhipocephalus phoenix (pinecone alga) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 1 (15861862249).jpg : .