Rock Platforms: Intertidal Zone - Sea Grapes, Hormosira banksii
The following are organisms of the intertidal zone:
- Sea grapes, Hormosira banksii
- The marine worm, Galeolaria
- Grazers
Sea grapes
One of the most common seaweeds on the coast of eastern Australia is the brown alga Hormosira banksii
, also known as sea grapes or Neptune's necklace. Brown and yellow accessory pigments such as beta-carotene and fucoxanthin cause the
thallus
(or 'body') to be brown, masking the chlorophyll. Cell walls are composed of polysaccharides
(cellulose, alginic acid and fucan) that make the alga slimy to the touch and help resist desiccation.
Hormosira banksii was first collected by the famous botanist Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain Cook to Australia.