The extensive development of the turf-forming red alga Womersleyella setacea (Hollenberg) R. E. Norris (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales) in the Bay of Boka Kotorska, Montenegro (southern Adriatic Sea)

Abstract

In August 2003, dense turfs formed by the filamentous red alga Womersleyella setacea (Hollenberg) R. E. Norris were found in the open part of the Bay of Boka Kotorska, on the shore of Montenegro (southern Adriatic Sea). The habitat and morphology of the alga are described and the impact of the massive development of this species on the structure of the algal communities is discussed.

Key words:

• Macrobenthic algae
• southern Adriatic Sea
• sublittoral
• turf-forming
• Womersleyella setacea

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Dr Valentina Turk and Tihomir Makovec from the Marine Biology Station of Piran, who kindly helped us during the observation and measurements of morphometric characters of the samples.