CHLOROPHYTA : Cladophorales : CladophoraceaeGREEN ALGAE

Cladophora pygmaea Reinke


Description: Thallus small no more than 1 to 3 mm high, filamentous with irregular branching.

Habitat: On small stones, shells, pottery and in fissures in the rock. Found in brackish water, sublittoral to 30 m.

Distribution: Widely distributed in the British Isles including the Shetlands. Europe: Atlantic coast of France, Germany, Baltic Sea and Norway. Atlantic coast of North America: Canada, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Similar Species: Most species of Cladophora are similar and difficult to identify, however this species is remarkably well recorded despite of its size.

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

iNaturalist: Cladophora pygmaea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Cladophora pygmaea at World Register of Marine Species.

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 Morton, O., Keatley, L., Morrow, C.C. & Picton, B.E. (2026). Cladophora pygmaea. Reinke. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://habitas.org/mbdp/species.php?item=ZS3530. Accessed on 2026-11-01