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| brown seaweeds text index | photo index |
| Seaweeds > Division Phaeophyta |
| Mermaid's
fan seaweed Padina sp.* Family Dictyotaceae updated Oct 2016 Where seen? Bouquets of this brown seaweed is commonly encountered on many our shores, especially our Southern shores. On boulders, rocks, stones and coral rubble. It is also sometimes called Mermaid's ear seaweed. Features: A bunch of funnel-shaped structures. Each funnel about 3-5cm in diameter, with concentric circles of tiny hairs and a rolled edge. The funnel is often torn at the edges. The bunch of funnels is usually attached to a hard surface and spreads out like a beautiful bouquet when submerged. Golden brown, sometimes with a bluish or whitish tinge. The white tinge is from the calcium carbonate incorporated in the blade. Padina is the only brown seaweed known to incorporate calcium. According to AlgaeBase: there are more than 30 current Padina species. Human uses: Mermaid's fan seaweed is eaten in some places. It is also used as animal feed, fertiliser and traditional medicine. |
 Sentosa, Apr 04  Circular fan-shaped, often torn at the edges. |
 Sentosa, Nov 11 |
 Tiny hairs on edges and along concentric circles. |
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 Sisters Island, Nov 11 |
 Tiny hairs on edges and along concentric circles. |
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 Sisters Island, Nov 05  |
 St. John's Island, Jan 06  |
 Tuas, Apr 04  |
*Seaweed species are difficult to positively identify without microscopic examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.
| Mermaid's fan seaweed on Singapore shores |
| Photos of Mermaid's fan seaweed for free download from wildsingapore flickr |
| Distribution in Singapore on this wildsingapore flickr map |
 Pulau Pawai, Dec 09 |
 Pulau Sudong, Dec 09 |
 Pulau Biola, Dec 09 |
 Terumbu Salu, Jan 10 |
 Terumbu Berkas, Jan 10 |
 Pulau Senang, Aug 10 |
| Padina
species recorded for Singapore Pham, M. N., H. T. W. Tan, S. Mitrovic & H. H. T. Yeo, 2011. A Checklist of the Algae of Singapore.
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