Chondria tumulosa is a species of red algae in the family Rhodomelacae. It was first discovered in 2016, growing in small patches in the Pearl and Hermes Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. By 2019, the species had spread to cover several thousand square meters, smothering and killing vast swathes of the atoll's coral reefs. C. tumulosa is unlike any other species in its genus, having a tumbleweed-like growth form that allows fragments to break off and spread, allowing it to colonize new areas. The true origin of C. tumulosa in the region remains unknown; it displays many characteristics of an invasive species and is not closely related to any other Hawaiian Chondria, but it would have been relatively difficult to colonize such a remote area. It has also been suggested that it is a native species that suddenly spread due to changes in the ecosystem. Control and mitigation strategies will have to be made to prevent the species' spread.[1][2][3]
| Chondria tumulosa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Clade: | Archaeplastida |
| Division: | Rhodophyta |
| Class: | Florideophyceae |
| Order: | Ceramiales |
| Family: | Rhodomelaceae |
| Genus: | Chondria |
| Species: | C. tumulosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Chondria tumulosa A.R.Sherwood et J.M.Huisman
| |
References
edit- ^ Sherwood, Alison R.; Huisman, John M.; Paiano, Monica O.; Williams, Taylor M.; Kosaki, Randall K.; Smith, Celia M.; Giuseffi, Louise; Spalding, Heather L. (2020-07-07). "Taxonomic determination of the cryptogenic red alga, Chondria tumulosa sp. nov., (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawai'i, USA: A new species displaying invasive characteristics". PLOS ONE. 15 (7): e0234358. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234358. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 7340295. PMID 32634147.
- ^ "Algae species discovered infesting NW Hawaiian waters has been identified". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ^ Fazio, Marie (2020-07-08). "New Red Algae Are Threatening Hawaii's Coral Reefs, Scientists Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
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