''Rissoella verruculosa'' is a species of red algae, the only accepted species in the genus ''Risoella'' and the family Rissoellaceae. This species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

. The genus name of ''Rissoella'' is in honour of

Giuseppe Antonio Risso Giuseppe Antonio Risso (8 April 1777 – 25 August 1845), called Antoine Risso, was a Niçard and naturalist. Risso was born in the city of Nice in the Duchy of Savoy, and studied under Giovanni Battista Balbis. He published ' (1810), ' (1826) ...

(1777–1845) and generally called Antoine Risso, who was a Niçard and a naturalist. ''Rissoella verruculosa'' has an amino acid composition with relatively high levels of lysine and methionine for a plant. Former species ''Rissoella denticulata'' , now accepted as a synonym for '' Neorubra denticulata''

Description

''Rissoella verruculosa'' consists of simple or unbranched ribbon-like slings that are often twisted with wavy and denticulated borders. It has slingshots measuring 0.5 to 2cm wide and 5 to 20 cm in length. A stipe connects the slings to a discoid base and attaches them to the rock. The consistency of the seaweed is rubbery, yellow more or less orange or reddish, varies with lighting and moistening. It turns brown when it is long outside the water and returns to its normal initial state when wet. The blades of the seaweed has on both sides small warts on.

Alimentation

It is an autotrophic plant that creates its organic matter by photosynthesis from water, carbon dioxide and mineral salts with green chlorophyll and with other pigments such as red phycoyerythrin that capture light.

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of ''Rissoella verruculosa'' is made up of three generations and is trigenetic.

Gametophyte A gametophyte () is one of the two alternating multicellular phases in the life cycles of plants and algae. It is a haploid multicellular organism that develops from a haploid spore that has one set of chromosomes. The gametophyte is the ...

carries the sexual organs that produce globular cystocarpes and contain a second generation that comes from the development of the fertilized egg. The third generation is diploid and will carry tetrasporocysts that are included in the cortex.

Environment

''Rissoella verruculosa'' is visible at the end of the winter season until summer when it extends over the meliottoral rock. It is found especially on silica substrates and very rare on limestone coasts that are calcifuge exposed to sun and water, which will allow it to withstand temperature, salinity

References

Other sources

* De Reviers B., 2002, BIOLOGIE ET PHYLOGENIE DES ALGUES, Tome 1 : BIOLOGIE, ed. Belin Sup., 352p. * Augier H., 2007, GUIDE DES FONDS MARINS DE MEDITERRANEE. ECOLOGIE, FLORE, FAUNE, PLONGEES, Guides du naturaliste, ed. Delachaux et Niestlé, 456p. * Harmelin J.-G., Bassemayousse F., 2008, MEDITERRANEE, A LA DECOUVERTE DES PAYSAGES SOUS-MARINS, ed. Glénat, 192p. * De Reviers B., 2002, BIOLOGIE ET PHYLOGENIE DES ALGUES, Tome 2 : EMBRANCHEMENTS, ed. Belin Sup., 255p. Gigartinales {{Rhodophyta-stub