RHODOPHYTA : Halymeniales : HalymeniaceaeRED ALGAE

Cryptonemia hibernica Guiry et L Irvine


Description: Large foliose blades, thin but tough, growing from a discoid holdfast to 60 cms long. Stipe short, 5 mm. Blades lobed up to 10 cms broad and 45 cms long pointed at the end, fleshy and elastic.

Habitat: Epilithic, rarely on Laminaria, sublittoral to 12 m deph.

Distribution: Known only from Ireland, Co. Cork and the Plymouth Sound in England.

Key Identification Features:

  • Large, flat with short stipe. Blades bullate (bulging puckered appearance) with clear apical point to the blade.

Distribution Map from NBN: Cryptonemia hibernica at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Cryptonemia hibernica at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Cryptonemia hibernica at World Register of Marine Species.

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 Morton, O., Keatley, L., Morrow, C.C. & Picton, B.E. (2026). Cryptonemia hibernica. Guiry et L Irvine. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://habitas.org/mbdp/species.php?item=ZM2930. Accessed on 2026-11-01