Chaetomorpha spp.

Phylum: CHLOROPHYTA
Order: CLADOPHORALES
Family: Cladophoraceae

PHOTO

Magnified photo showing some filaments Chaetomorpha moniligera. Peter the Great Bay, Russia, Sea of Japan. Depth: 1-2 m. August 2001. Photographer: Alexander V. Ratnikov

Species of Chaetomorpha are green algae with fine, unbranched filaments, consistings of large cells arranged in a single row end to end. The filaments are usually stiff or coarse, not collapsing when removed from water. The individual filaments can be straight, curled or twisted and the whole plants can be either clumps of straight filaments, like a clump of grass, or a tangled mat, which in C. linum grows to 1m high and 2 m wide. In some species the tangled mats have been compared to tangled monofilament nylon fishing line.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (April 7) Chaetomorpha spp.. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/chaetomorpha