Caulerpa prolifera is a chlorophyte seaweed, belonging to the Ulvophyceae class, and within this to the Bryopsidales order and the Caulerpaceae family. This seaweed is native to the Mediterranean Sea, where it is found throughout its extension except for those areas of colder waters such as the Gulf of Lion and the Adriatic Sea. It is also present in the Atlantic Ocean, both on its eastern and western coasts. It lives predominantly on sandy and/or muddy substrates, and occasionally on hard substrates. It is always associated with rather shallow waters (less than 15 meters deep).
Caulerpa prolifera seaweed has a structure formed by three very well differentiated parts. We start with the stolon, a thin (between 1 and 2 mm in diameter) and elongated structure from which the different lamellae that make up the visible part of the algae emerge upwards. These blades, called fronds, have a lanceolate shape with smooth margins (occasionally slightly wavy) and a maximum size of up to 40-50 cm in height and 3 cm wide. On the underside of the stolon, we find rhizoids that allow Caulerpa prolifera to cling to the substrate. The color of this alga is light green, and as a curiosity to mention that this color is due to the presence of chloroplasts inside the algae tissue. The algae tissue is formed by a single giant cell, which has multiple nuclei. The chloroplasts that give Caulerpa prolifera its light green color have the ability to be redirected to specific parts of the tissue on demand, so if the fronds are covered by sediment, the specimen will move the chloroplasts from the covered areas to uncovered areas and thus avoid losing photosynthetic capacity.
Depending on the habitat in which the Caulerpa prolifera algae live, we find that they tend to form more compact, dense and highly branched masses in environments with high light intensity, while in areas with lower light intensity they tend to have more elongated and thinner fronds. This algae grows particularly well in areas rich in nutrients and organic matter, where they grow very quickly to form dense masses. It is frequently found in mixed meadows together with Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera noltii.
During the period in which the waters acquire a higher temperature, is the time when the development of Caulerpa prolifera is greater. Towards the end of spring, new stolons begin to form and project subway to conquer new surfaces. During autumn, growth is strongly inhibited, and the fronds begin to degrade.
The reproduction of Caulerpa prolifera is mainly asexual, although it also has the capacity to reproduce sexually. Under normal conditions, the fragmentation of the plant itself is the form of asexual reproduction, since tissues of this algae of a few millimeters in size are able to grow to form complete specimens of Caulerpa prolifera.
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