Description
The red alga Bonnemaisonia hamifera has a complex life cycle, with a triphasic alternation of generations. The tetrasporophyte stage is morphologically distinct from the gametophyte and was once regarded as a separate species, Trailliella intricata, until the tetraspores of 'Trailliella' were found to germinate and grow into plants of B. hamifera (Harder and Koch 1949).
Potentially Misidentified spp. - Spermothamnion turneri resembles the ''Trailliella' form; Callithamnion baileyi and Spyridia filamentosa resemble the gametophyte, but the species do differ in their pattern of branching (Taylor 1957). All are found in the Chesapeake region (Humm 1979).
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protista | Rhodophyta | Rhodophyceae | Bonnemaisoniales | Bonnemaisoniaceae | Bonnemaisonia |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Established | Stable | Introduced | Regular Resident | Western Atlantic | Western Pacific | Shipping(Fouling Community, Ballast Water); Natural Dispersal(Natural Dispersal) |
History of Spread
The red alga Bonnemaisonia hamifera is believed to be native to Japan (Dixon and Irvine 1977; Farnham 1980; Holmes 1897), although 'there is no direct evidence to support the assumption that Bonnemaisonia hamifera is in fact native to Japan' (McLachlan et al. 1969). However, all of the stages of the life cycle have only been found together in Japan. Elsewhere the gametophytes are less widely distributed than the tetrosporophytes, (and males much rarer than females) and fertile gametophytes have not been found. The different life cycle phases appear to have propagated vegetatively in Europe and North America (Dixon and Irvine 1977; McLaughlin et al. 1969). Reports of the 'Trailliella' stage of this species on the Pacific coast of North America probably refer to the native Northeast Pacific form Bonnemaisonia nootkana (McLachlan et al. 1967).
Outside its native range, Bonnemaisonia hamifera was first collected in Europe, in Falmouth, England, in 1893 (Holmes 1897), and subsequently spread around Europe, reaching the Mediterranean (Tunisia) by 1918 (Verlaque 1994). Its present eastern Atlantic range is from Gibraltar (Verlaque 1994) to the Kattegat, the Shetland Islands, and Iceland (South and Tittley 1986). In the western Atlantic, it was first collected at Woods Hole MA in 1927 (Lewis and Taylor 1928) and now ranges from Labrador to VA (Humm 1979; South and Tittley 1986). It has not been reported from NC (Schneider and Searles 1991; Searles 1997). North American records are summarized below:
Gulf of St. Lawrence - The tetrasporophyte phase ('Trailliella') was first to appear, in 1948. As of 1969, the gametophyte stage had not been found in the Gulf, and mature tetrasporophytes had been found only in Northumberland Straits, in the southern Gulf (McLachlan et al. 1969). B. hamifera has since been collected in southern Labrador (South and Tittley 1986).
Gulf of Maine, Atlantic Coast, Nova Scotia - Bonnemaisonia hamifera was not recorded as of 1937 (Taylor 1937), but was present by 1957 (Taylor 1957), as the 'Trailliella' form. By 1969, male gametophytes were noted on the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia, but not in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (McLachlan et al. 1969).
Long Island Sound, and Southern New England Sounds, Bays - 'Trailliella' tetrasporophytes, and gametophytes (as Asparagopsis hamifera) were first collected at Nobska Point, Woods Hole MA in 1927 (Lewis and Taylor 1928). Its abundance decreased sharply after a severe winter in 1933 (Taylor 1937). In 1940, it was collected in Long Island Sound (Taylor 1940), and it is now well-established in Narragansett Bay as well (Villalard-Bohnsack 1995).
Barnegat, Delaware Bays, Mid - Atlantic Coast - There are apparently no published records for this region (South and Tittley 1986).
Chesapeake Bay - Bonnemaisonia hamifera was collected at 6 stations in the vicinity of Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds, MD/VA, eastern Shore, in 1968, as the 'Trailliella' form growing as an epiphyte on Zostera marina (Eelgrass) and seaweeds (Mathieson and Fuller 1969). It was also found growing on Ruppia maritima (Widgeongrass) in the Guinea Marshes, Gloucester Point, York River, in 1974 (Humm 1979). The gametophyte has not been found in Chesapeake Bay (Humm 1979).
History References- Dixon and Irvine 1977; Farnham 1980; Holmes 1897; Humm 1979; Lewis and Taylor 1928; Mathieson and Fuller 1969; McLachlan 1969; Schneider and Searles 1991; Searles 1997; South and Tittley 1986; Taylor 1937; Taylor 1940; Verlaque 1994; Villalard-Bohnsack 1995
Invasion Comments
First record: The date of the actual Chesapeake Bay invasion is unknown, since Mathieson and Fuller's study (1969) was the first full published survey of Chesapeake seaweeds.
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | -1.0 | 29.0 | ||
| Salinity (‰) | 11.0 | 35.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | ||||
| Salinity Range | meso-eu |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | 50.0 | 50.0 |
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | 200.0 | 200.0 |
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
|||
| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
|||
| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Bonnemaisonia hamifera probably has no economic impacts in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
In reviews of its introduction, authors have not mentioned any economic impacts of Bonnemaisonia hamifera (Farnham 1980; McLachlan et al. 1969).
References- Farnham 1980; McLachlan et al. 1969
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Bonnemaisonia hamifera appears to be rare in the Chesapeake Bay region, and is assumed to have few or no ecological impacts. If it were abundant, as an epiphyte, it could potentially have impacts on native seagrasses such as Ruppia maritima and Zostera marina, and on native seaweeds (Humm 1979; Mathieson and Fuller 1969).
References - Humm 1979; Mathieson and Fuller 1969
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Bonnemaisonia hamifera is rare in the Chespeake Bay and is assumed to have few or no impacts on introduced seaweeds, vascular plants, or other organisms.
References
Bold, Harold C.; Wynne, Michael J. (1978) Introduction to the Algae: Structure and Reproduction, , Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Pp.Breeman, A. M.; Meulenfoff, E. J. S.; Guiry, M. D. (1988) Life history regulation and phenology of the red alga Bonnemaisonia hamifera, Helgolander Meeresuntersuchungen 42: 535-551
Dixon, Peter S.; Irvine, Linda M. (1977) Seaweeds of the British Isles. Part 1., , London. Pp.
Farnham, W. F. (1980) Studies on aliens in the marine flora of southern England, In: Price, J. H., Irvine, D. E. G., and Farnham, W. F.(Eds.) The Shore Environment. , London. Pp. 875-914
Feldmann, Jean; Feldmann, Genenvieve (1942) Recherches sur les Bonnemaisoniacees: leur alternance de generations, Annales des Sciences Naturelles - Botanique et Biologies Vegetale : 144-175
Harder, R.; Koch, W. (1949) Life-history of Bonnemaisonia hamifera (Traillella intricata), Nature 163: 106
Holmes, E. M. (1897) Note on Bonnemaisonia hamifera, Journal of Botany 35: 408-409
Humm, Harold J. (1979) The Marine Algae of Virginia, , Charlottesville. Pp.
Humm. H. J. (1963) Dictyota dichotoma in Virginia, Virginia Journal of Science 14: 109-111
Lewis, I. F.; Taylor, W. R. (1928) Notes from the Woods Hole Laboratory-1928, Rhodora 30: 193-198
Mathieson, Arthur C.; Fuller, Stephen W. (1969) A preliminary investigation of the benthonic marine algae of the Chesapeake Bay region., Rhodora 71: 524-534
McLachlan, J.; Chen, C. M.; Edelstein, T. (1969) Distribution and life history of Bonnemaisonia hamifera Hariot., Proceedings of the International Seaweed Symposium 6: 245-249
Orris, Patricia K. (1980) A revised species list and commentary on the macroalgae of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, Estuaries 3: 200-206
Ott, Franklyn D. (1973) The marine algae of Virginia and Maryland including the Chesapeake Bay area, Rhodora 75: 258-296
Schneider, Craig W.; Searles, Richard B. (1991) Seaweeds of the Southeastern United States, , Durham. Pp.
March 21, 1997 Introduced seaweeds in Chesapeake Bay, email. Department of Botany, Duke University
South, G. Robin; Tittley, Ian (1986) A checklist and distributional index of the benthic marine algae of the North Atlantic Ocean., , St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and London. Pp.
Taylor, William Randolph (1937) Marine Algae of the Northeastern Coast of North America, , Ann Arbor. Pp.
Taylor, William Randolph (1940) Marine algae from Long Island, Torreya 40: 185-195
Taylor, William Randolph (1957) Marine Algae of the Northeastern Coast of North America, , Ann Arbor. Pp.
Verlaque, Marc (1994) Inventaire des plantes introduite en Mediterranee: origines et repercussions sur l'environnment et les activites humaines, Oceanologica Acta 17: 1-23
Villalard-Bohnsack, Martine (1995) Illustrated Key to the Seaweeds of New England., , Kingston. Pp.