Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt, 1955
(Japweed, Wireweed)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesSargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
GenusSargassum (a genus of brown seaweeds)
FamilySARGASSACEAE (a family of brown seaweeds)
OrderFUCALES (an order of wracks)
ClassPHAEOPHYCEAE (brown seaweeds)
SubphylumPHAEISTA (a subphylum of chromists)
PhylumOCHROPHYTA (a phylum of chromists)
KingdomCHROMISTA (algae)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed) :
1: Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
22 Jul 2013 OSGR: SY97 50° 40’ N, 2° 10’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
on shore in shallow water
Image 1: UnderwaterImage 2: Underwater with Chorda filum
2: Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
21 Jan 2011 OSGR: SY67 50° 40’ N, 2° 30’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
in large rock pool
Image 1: Thallus - close-upImage 2: Thallus - close-up (2)Image 3: Thallus - close-up (3)Image 4: Thallus - close-up (4)Image 5: Thallus - close-up (5)Image 6: Wirweed floating in rock poolImage 7: Wirweed floating in rock pool (2)Image 8: Wirweed floating in rock pool (3)Image 9: Wirweed floating in rock pool (4)Image 10: Wirweed floating in rock pool (5)Image 11: Wirweed floating in rock pool (6)Image 12: Wirweed floating in rock pool (7)Image 13: Wirweed floating in rock pool (8)
3: Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
21 Mar 2008 OSGR: SW83 50° 10’ N, 4° 60’ W Vice County: East Cornwall (VC 2) England
in rock pool
Image 1: In rock poolImage 2: In rock pool (2)Image 3: In rock pool (3)Image 4: In rock pool (4)Image 5: In rock pool (5)
4: Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
27 Apr 2001 OSGR: SY67 50° 40’ N, 2° 30’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
floating in sea at low tide
Image 1: Close-upImage 2: Close-up (2)Image 3: Close-up (3)Image 4: Close-up (4)Image 5: Thallus

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Booy, O., Wade, M., Ames, V. & McKee, K. Wireweed
Farnham, W.F. 2002 Personal Communication
Guiry, M. Michael Guiry’s Seaweed Site www.seaweed.ie/index.html
() The Bishop Group 2011 *** Marine Aliens - Identification guide for selected marine non-native species ***(Superseded) 2nd edition, 24pp, Marine Biological Association

Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 2 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Sargassum muticum (Japweed, Wireweed)

An alien species introduced in the early 1970’s, probably on Japanese oysters via France. It is now widespread in lower pools and shallow sublittoral.

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