[Coral-List] Reply to Algae identification

[Suzanne L Fredericq]

Reply to Shannon Gore < sd_gore at yahoo.com > 
Date: October 25 , 2017 at 7:27:32 AM CDT 
To: " coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov " < coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov > 
Subject: [Coral-List] Algae identification 




ANSWER by S. Fredericq: 
- The fuzzy pink alga in the center looks like the tetrasporophyte stage of the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile Trevisan) in the order Bonnemaisoniales, known in the old literature as " Falkenbergia hillebrandii (Bornet) Falkenberg" 
- The whitish/pink algae surrounding the Asparagopsis is a gooey, slightly calcified red algal species belonging in the Liagoraceae (Nemaliales), most probably Trichogloeopsis pedicellata (Howe) Abbott and Doty 
- Both species become temporarily abundant after hurricanes as a result of drastic nutrient upheaval, and both are common around the BVI and in the Caribbean. 

QUESTION: 
I am trying to identify two species of algae. 
If link doesn't work, email me directly. http://pix.sfly.com/A9UmTWCs 
Three weeks post-Irma, few areas that showed any observable increase of algal cover but over the last 2 weeks, there is a dramatic "outbreak" at a number of locations around the British Virgin Islands. Can someone possibly help me to identify and/or if anyone else has seen such a dramatic change in algal cover in any of the areas hit by Irma and Maria? Thanks!