description Caulerpa prolifera Overview
Caulerpa prolifera is a species of siphonous green marine alga native to the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It features creeping stolons that anchor to the seafloor, from which emerge upright, flat, oval-shaped fronds resembling seagrass leaves. The organism is a single multinucleate cell and is frequently utilized as a model organism in phycological research to study cellular biology and plant development.
help Caulerpa prolifera FAQ
What type of seaweed is Caulerpa prolifera?
Caulerpa prolifera is a siphonous green alga in the family Caulerpaceae, not a true seagrass. It forms connected stolons and upright leaf-like fronds from a single algal body. [USGS species profile](https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=3871)
How do you identify Caulerpa prolifera?
Its upright fronds are usually bright to olive green, flat, elongated, and oval or lance-shaped, with entire margins rather than divided edges. Fronds are commonly about 6-15 centimeters tall, while the creeping stolons can exceed 1 meter. [USGS species profile](https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=3871)
Where does Caulerpa prolifera grow?
It occurs in the Mediterranean and warm Atlantic regions, often on sandy or muddy bottoms between about 1 and 20 meters deep. The stolons can form small underwater meadows in suitable shallow habitats. [DORIS](https://doris.ffessm.fr/Especes/Caulerpa-prolifera-Caulerpe-291/%28rOffset%29/11)
How is Caulerpa prolifera different from Caulerpa taxifolia?
C. prolifera has simple, undivided, leaf-like fronds, while C. taxifolia has visibly divided fronds. This distinction is useful because the two species can look similar when seen as green underwater growth. [USGS species profile](https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=3871)
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