Ulvaria obscura | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Clade: | Viridiplantae |
Division: | Chlorophyta |
Class: | Ulvophyceae |
Order: | Ulvales |
Family: | Ulvaceae |
Genus: | Ulvaria |
Species: | U. obscura |
Binomial name | |
Ulvaria obscura (Kützing) Gayral ex Bliding | |
Ulvaria obscura is an intertidal and subtidal benthic marine algae found in temperate and Arctic ocean waters around the world. [1] [2]
Ulvaria obscura is a common marine algae, typically identified in algal blooms referred to as "Green Tides". [3] [4] The species is distinct in its ability to produce the neurotransmitter dopamine as a herbivore defense mechanism. [5] [6] The species has a wide tolerance to various growth conditions, surviving temperatures between 5-29 °C, salinities from freshwater to complete saturation, and grows well under various light intensities. [7] The species growth rate responds to increased dissolved inorganic nitrogen availability, making the species a possible indicator of anthropogenic pollution leading to eutrophication. [8] [9] [10]
The thalli of Ulvaria obscura are bladelike, usually less than 5 cm tall and 8 cm thick, consisting of a single cell layer, and typically have between 2 and 6 pyrenoids per cell. [11] Thalli turn from green to dark brown upon desiccation due to the oxidation of dopamine within the tissues. [6]