| Compsopogon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Compsopogon sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| (unranked): | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | Compsopogonaceae |
| Genus: | Compsopogon |
| Species: | C. caeruleus |
| Binomial name | |
| Compsopogon caeruleus (Balbis exC.Agardh) Montagne | |
Compsopogon caeruleus, known asstaghorn algae, is a species ofred algae that lives in fresh water. It is a common nuisance infreshwater aquaria.[1] It is the only species in the genusCompsopogon and the only representative of the familyCompsopogonaceae. It is found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa,[2] Asia, Australasia and Oceania.Compsopogon can tolerate a wide range of conditions in freshwater streams and occasionally in brackish lagoons and estuaries.[3] It propagates by asexual spores.
Compsopogon presents athallus of simple cylindrical cells inside large covered cortical cells. In more mature and large thallus interior cells can be disintegrated, leaving only the outer cortex.
The species exhibits a widephenotypic plasticity in studies such as field observations, with the result that historically many species have been described, when current thought treats it as a single species. There are two main morphologies inCompsopogon, one displaying regular cortical cells (morphologycaeruleus), the other having cells with extra rhizoidals (morphologyleptoclados).[4]
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