''Turbinaria'' is a genus of

brown algae Brown algae (singular: alga), comprising the class Phaeophyceae, are a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder waters within the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate and po ...

(Phaeophyceae) found primarily in tropical marine waters. It generally grows on rocky substrates. In tropical ''Turbinaria'' species that are often preferentially consumed by

herbivorous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

es and

echinoid Sea urchins () are spine (zoology), spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard s ...

s, there is a relatively low level of phenolics and tannins. The genus has shown promise as a way of removing

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

from aqueous solutions.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

''Turbinaria'' J.V. Lamouroux is a genus under family Sargassaceae, order Fucales, of the class Phaeophyceae (brown algae). Taxonomic classification is based on morphological characteristics including the shape of the leaves, vesicles, and receptacles, as well as the development of the axes. The genus has received comparatively lesser attention than other genera under Sargassaceae, and like many seaweeds, the large degree of phenotypic plasticity exhibited by different species has led to many taxonomic uncertainties. The use of molecular analyses has been useful in this regard.

Morphology

''Turbinaria'' is characterized by an upright thallus with radially branched axes bearing blades. It has a tough texture. The blades come in various forms described as stipitate, turbinate, crowned, and obpyramidal. Its appearance resembles that of a long pinecone. The thallus is kept upright by a holdfast consisting of spread out branches growing from the main axes. Mature thalli possess receptacles, their reproductive organs which branch out from the tips of the stalks on the blades.

Distribution

''Turbinaria'' is mainly distributed in tropical coral reefs but is also found in the subtropics and temperate regions. Southeast Asia as well as the Indian Ocean contain the highest diversity of the genus. ''Turbinaria ornata'' is the species with the widest distribution within the genus, ranging from the West Atlantic, to the Indo-Pacific, and East Africa.

Ecology

The genus can survive in various habitats such as tide pools, rocky intertidal zones, and forereefs, as well as up to depths of 30 meters, as well as in habitats will varying levels of exposure. They have adapted different forms to suit their environments. Thalli in habitats with high wave action tend to be shorter, tougher, and not buoyant which helps them withstand the harsh conditions. On the other hand, thalli in more sheltered habitats are longer, with weaker tissue, and develop buoyancy with sexual maturity. ''Turbinaria'' is one of the principal genera of macroalgae that have been observed to take over degraded reefs following losses in hard coral cover. One of the reasons for this is that it has a higher thermal tolerance than some coral species giving it a competitive advantage during periods of high temperatures. Its thalli can also cause abrasions on corals which can lead to death.

Life History

Species like ''Turbinaria ornata'' are monoecious and reproduce both sexually and asexually. The life cycle begins with a diploid thallus which releases haploid gametes which develop in its receptacles which contain oogonia for eggs, and antheridia for antherozoids. Fertilization occurs at the tip of the receptacle which results in a diploid zygote. Asexual reproduction occurs via fragmentation and dispersal. Dispersal occurs in two modes: short ( < 1 m) and long distance (kms).

Harvesting/Cultivation

Harvesting of ''Turbinaria'' is largely done by collecting drifting thalli on the water surface or directly from the substratum. The genus is commonly harvested in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines for alginate production. It is abundant year-round in French Polynesia and India, and is harvested seasonally in Indonesia.

Chemical Composition

''Turbinaria'' contains fucoxanthin which is a carotenoid pigment found in all brown algae. Its functions lie in the harvesting of light and energy transfer. The genus has high levels of iron (893.7 ± 210.5 g⁻¹ µg dry weight), and has an affinity for arsenic and nickel, depending on the concentrations in the environments in which they grow. It also has good potential for alginate production since it can yield up to 40% of its dry weight in alginate. ''Turbinaria'' also contains fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. The Genus ''Turbinaria'' is still chemically and pharmacologically underexplored. These brown algae belong to the family Sargassaceae. Therapeutic potentials of pure compounds isolated from the Genus ''Turbinaria'' are extraordinarily promising as antiproliferative, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory immunostimulatory, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antiviral, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic. Those activities are represented by diverse classes of compounds including sterols, amino acids, fatty acids, alcohols, halocarbons, hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, esters and cyclic tetrapyrrole compounds.

Utilization

''Turbinaria'' is utilized for its alginate extracts, which are used as thickening, gelling, and stabilizing agents in food and drinks, as well as in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. The young thalli of ''Turbinaria ornata'' are consumed in Indonesia either fresh, salted, or with curry sauce.Novaczek I (2001) A guide to the common edible and medicinal sea plants of the Pacific Islands. University of the South Pacific, Suva Dried ''Turbinaria'' can be ground and used as seasoning. In Samoa, it is used as a stir-fry ingredient. Brown algae are often used in animal feed as they can provide nutritional supplements and improve growth. A study found that prawn feeds containing ''T. ornata'' supplements increased growth, survival, and digestion. ''Turbinaria'' is also used as fertilizer and pesticides in many Asian countries.

Species

AlgaeBase lists 32 current species of ''Turbinaria.'':M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. June 21, 2014. ''AlgaeBase''. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on January 23, 2022. * '' Turbinaria capensis'' Pichon (not accepted by

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) * '' Turbinaria condensata'' Sonder, 1860 * '' Turbinaria conoides'' (J.Agardh) Kützing, 1860 ** '' Turbinaria conoides f. laticuspidata'' ** '' Turbinaria conoides f. retroflexa'' * '' Turbinaria costata E.S.Barton 1966'' * '' Turbinaria crateriformis'' W.R.Taylor, 1966 * '' Turbinaria decurrens'' Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1828 * '' Turbinaria denudata'' Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1828 * '' Turbinaria elatensis'' W.R.Taylor, 1965 * '' Turbinaria filamentosa'' Yamada, 1925 * ''Turbinaria foliosa M.J. Wynne, 2002'' * '' Turbinaria filiformis'' Yamada (not accepted by

) * ''Turbinaria foliosa'' M.J.Wynne, 2002 * '' Turbinaria gracilis'' Sonder, 1845 * '' Turbinaria havanensis'' J.V.Lamouroux (not accepted by

) * ''Turbinaria heterophylla Kützing, 1860'' * '' Turbinaria indica'' Gopalakrishnan, 1974 * '' Turbinaria kenyaensis'' W.R.Taylor, 1966 * '' Turbinaria luzonensis'' W.R.Taylor, 1964 * '' Turbinaria membranacea'' Ruprecht (not accepted by

) * '' Turbinaria murrayana'' E.S.Barton, 1891 * '' Turbinaria ornata'' (Turner) J.Agardh, 1848 ** '' Turbinaria ornata f. ecoronata'' ** '' Turbinaria ornata f. evesiculosa'' ** '' Turbinaria ornata f. hainanensis'' ** '' Turbinaria ornata var. serrata'' * '' Turbinaria papenfussii'' W.R.Taylor, 1964 * '' Turbinaria parvifolia'' C.K.Tseng & Lu, 1983 * ''Turbinaria swartzii (C. Agardh) Yendo, 1905'' * '' Turbinaria tanzaniensis'' Jaasund, 1976 * '' Turbinaria tetraedra'' Ruprecht (not accepted by

) * ''Turbinaria thunbergii (Mertens ex Roth) Yendo, 1905'' * ''Turbinaria trialata (J. Agardh) Kützing, 1860'' * '' Turbinaria tricostata'' E.S.Barton, 1891 ** '' Turbinaria tricostata var. weberae'' * '' Turbinaria triquetra'' (J.Agardh) Kützing, 1849 * '' Turbinaria turbinata'' (Linnaeus) Kuntze, 1898 (type species) * '' Turbinaria vulgaris'' J.Agardh, 1848

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3320241 Fucales Fucales genera