''Calliarthron'' is a genus containing two species of thalloid intertidal

alga Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mi ...

. Specimens can reach around 30 cm in size. The thalli take a crustose form. The organisms lack secondary

pit connection In algal anatomy, a pit connection is a hole in the septum between two algal cells, and is found only in the red algae − specifically, all orders except the Porphyridiales and haploid Bangiales. They are often stoppered with proteinaceous "pit p ...

s. ''Calliarthron'' reproduces by means of conceptacles; it produces tetraspores, dispores and carpospores. The genus has

lignin Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity ...

and contains secondary cell walls, traits which are normally associated with the

vascular plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They ...

s. It is similar to the genus '' Bossiella''. ''Calliarthron'' is calcified, but also has uncalcified joints that allow it to flex in response to the waves to which it is subjected. These joints start out calcified, and decalcify as they grow older. After decalcifying they grow much longer, then fatten themselves up in the same way as xylem formation, resulting in secondary walls.

Species

The 2 species currently recognised are:Paul W. Gabrielson, Kathy Ann Miller, and Patrick T. Martone (2011) Morphometric and molecular analyses confirm two distinct species of Calliarthron (Corallinales, Rhodophyta), a genus endemic to the northeast Pacific. Phycologia: May 2011, Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 298-316. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2216/10-42.1 *'' Calliarthron tuberculosum'' *'' Calliarthron cheilosporioides''

References

External links

Images
of ''Calliarthron'' at

Algaebase AlgaeBase is a global species database of information on all groups of algae, both marine and freshwater, as well as sea-grass. History AlgaeBase began in March 1996, founded by Michael Guiry. Text was copied from this source, which is ava ...

Corallinaceae Red algae genera {{Rhodophyta-stub