Codium bursa (Olivi) C.Agardh

VOUK, VALE. / Sur la biologie de Codium •
Bursa. / Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. LParis] / 195(9): nbwyobk
491-494. 1932.-
Codium bursa, which is found mostly at a depth of 14-40 m., has
a more or less spherical thallus, with a fluid-filled interior cavity,
and when the cortex is ruptured, the fluid gushes out as If under
considerable pressure. If a glass tube with the outer end attenuated
is inserted carefully and apex of the tube broken off, the fluid ascends
about 10 cm., without contraction of thallus. Tests indicate that the fluid
is more saline than the surrounding sea-vrater. Further chemical
analyses will be made. Lining the interior cavity, especially near
the base, is a reddish mucus, which is found to consist of several
kinds of Cyanophyceae, mostly filamentous, belonging to such genera
as Phoraildjum. Lvngpya. Qsciliatoria. Plcctoaema. Microchae.ta,
C&lotarix. and Gloeocaasa. Their reddish color is correlated with the
feeble violet light at the dpeth at which they live, Numerous species
of diatoms also are found in the Codium cavity$ also microscopic
animals, such as Protozoa, Kadiolaria, and nematodes. In fact, the
Codium thallus appears to harbor a flora and fauna of its own. Some
of the species may prove to be peculiar to this habitat. More detailed
reports will follow. — M. A. Ho. ..
02130702