Species

Carragheen

❮ ❯

Phylum: RHODOPHYCOTA

Kindom: Plantae

Size: finger tip to thumb joint 11-15 cm

Habitats: rock and boulders,cobbles and pebbles

Distribution: common

Depth: 0-10 m,10-25 m

Sightings: 20

Description: Irish moss is not a true moss, it is a species of red algae which grows abundantly along the rocky parts of the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America. In its fresh condition this protist is soft and cartilaginous, varying in color from a greenish-yellow, through red, to a dark purple or purplish-brown. The principal constituent is a mucilaginous body, made of the polysaccharide carrageenan, which constitutes 55% of its dry weight. The organism also consists of nearly 10% dry weight protein and about 15% dry weight mineral matter, and is rich in iodine and sulfur. When softened in water it has a sea-like odour and because of the abundant cell wall polysaccharides it will form a jelly when boiled, containing from 20 to 100 times its weight of water. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chondrus_crispus

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