APHOTOMARINE

An online educational resource dedicated to the photography of
marine themes, marinelife, life on the seashore and in rockpools
in the coastal waters of south-West England by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Mastocarpus stellatus (Stackhouse) Guiry, 1984 - False Irish Moss (Red seaweeds)
Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.
False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 3

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 4

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 5

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 6

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 7

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- at Wherrytown, Penzance 8

Specimen above found on the lowershore pool at Wherrytown, Penzance, Cornwall. 13.08.18.

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- on lowershore rock 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- on lowershore rock 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 3

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 4

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 5

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 6

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- lowershore / sun bleached 7

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- summer / bleached by sun 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- summer / bleached by sun 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- summer / bleached by sun 3

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis on mussel 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis on mussel 2

Species widely found aross the region. Images taken at a veriety of places, these include Spit Point, Par, Cornwall, 31.03.10, and Roskilley south of Newlyn, Cornwall. 05.08.11.

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis on rock 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis on rock 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis close-up 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis close-up 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis under microscope 1

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis under microscope 2

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis under microscope 3

False Irish Moss or Agar weed
Mastocarpus stellatus
- petrocelis tetrasporangia 1

Specimen above was found growing over the red encrusting algae Lithothamnion, on the north side of an outcrop of granite at Chimney Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall. 03.10.16. The green colour of the thallus is normal and can arise when the petrocelis produces tetasporangia. Normally the petrocelis is dark reddish or purplish-black.

The species is widely found and adundant aross the region.

The petrocelis stage was once referred to as a seperate entity / species, as Petrocelis cruenta.

Scientific and European Names:
Mastocarpus stellatus, Petrocelis cruenta, Gigartina stellata, False carragheen moss, False irish moss, Gigartine, Kernwier.

AlgaeBase

AlgaeBase is a database of information on algae that includes terrestrial, marine and freshwater organisms.

Mastocarpus stellatus Petrocelis cruenta Gigartina stellata False Irish Moss or Agar Weed Red Seaweed Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.