About Codium bursa (Olivi) C.Agardh
Codium bursa (Olivi) C.Agardh is a marine alga that reaches up to 30 centimeters across. It typically forms a spongy sphere made of utricles, which create a cortex at its surface. The alga is composed of loosely packed filaments; at the surface, these filaments form a cortex made of utricles, which are single-celled structures shaped like bladders or clubs. It has a velvety texture and a dark green colour, and is anchored to its substrate by a filamentous holdfast.
In the Atlantic Ocean, this alga ranges from the Canary Islands to the British Isles. It is very persistent when drifting, so populations in the British Isles may originate from further south. The most recent record of Codium bursa in Ireland dates to 1977, when it was found in County Donegal. It has also been recorded in other European countries. In the Mediterranean Sea, it often grows alongside the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, and is commonly found beachcast among Posidonia oceanica leaves.
Codium bursa grows sublittorally, attached to rock. In the Atlantic Ocean, it grows down to 10 meters deep, while in the Mediterranean Sea it can be found at depths up to 50 meters.
