Dead Man’s Fingers

Description:

This siphonous macroalga is dark green in color. It appears as a fuzzy patch of tubular fingers. These formations hang down from rocks during low tide, hence the nickname "dead man's fingers". The branches, or fingers, are up to 1 cm wide, and can extend to lengths of over 30 cm. It has no asexual (sporophyte) stage, and male and female gametes are both produced on separate plants.

Habitat:

Adriatic and Mediterranean seas . Attaches to hard surfaces (rocks, shells, ship hulls). Codium fragile occurs in the low intertidal zone, and subtidal on high-energy beaches.

Notes:

Also known as: green sea fingers, felty fingers, felt-alga, green sponge and green fleece.