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Seaweeds > Division Chlorophyta > Family Caulerpaceae > genus Caulerpa
Scalpel green seaweed
Caulerpa scalpelliformis*
Family Caulerpaceae
updated Oct 2016

Where seen? This feathery green seaweed grows on sand sometimes forming blooms that cover large areas of seagrass meadows on our Northern shores.

Features: A feather-like structure 2-4cm long. The mid-rib or central 'stem' of the feathery structure is flat and usually with a width wider or the same as the length of the side 'branches'. The side 'branches' are short, flat and have rounded tips. These little feathery structures emerge along the length of a 'stem' that creeps over hard surfaces or just under the sand.
Colours generally olive green.

Sometimes confused with other feathery green seaweeds or with seagrasses. Here's more on how to tell apart different feathery green seaweeds and how to tell apart feathery green seaweeds and seagrasses.

Changi, Apr 04


A bloom covering a large area.
Chek Jawa, Aug 07

Pulau Sekuidu, Jun 05

Chek Jawa, Dec 25

*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination of internal parts.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

Scalpel green seaweeds on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Coney Island, Oct 20
Photo shared by Richard Kuah on facebook.

Links References
  • Lee Ai Chin, Iris U. Baula, Lilibeth N. Miranda and Sin Tsai Min ; editors: Sin Tsai Min and Wang Luan Keng, A photographic guide to the marine algae of Singapore, Tropical Marine Science Institute, 201 pp.
  • Pham, M. N., H. T. W. Tan, S. Mitrovic & H. H. T. Yeo, 2011. A Checklist of the Algae of Singapore, 2nd Edition. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore. 99 pp. Uploaded 1 October 2011. [PDF, 1.58 MB].
  • Eric Coppejans and Tom Beeckman. 1990. Caulerpa (Chlorophyta, Caulerpales) from the Kenyan coast (pdf). Laboratorium voor Morfologie, Systematiek en Ecologie van de Planten R.U.G. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium on the Phycology Research website: identification key and useful diagrams on how to tell apart similar Caulerpa species.
  • Huisman, John M. 2000. Marine Plants of Australia University of Western Australia Press. 300pp.
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