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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Aquatic Invasives / Aquatic Plants / Caulerpa, Mediterranean Clone

Caulerpa, Mediterranean Clone

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Caulerpa, Mediterranean clone
Mediterranean clone of caulerpa, plants - Photo by Rachel Woodfield; Merkel & Associates, Inc.
Scientific Name: 

Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agandh (ITIS; name is accepted but unverified)

Common Name: 

Caulerpa, Mediterranean clone; Killer algae

Native To: 

Caulerpa taxifolia is widespread in tropical habitats; the Mediterranean clone may have originated in Australia (Jousson et al. 1998; Meusnier et al. 2001)

Date of U.S. Introduction: 

2000 (Woodfield 2008)

Means of Introduction: 

Aquarium trade (Woodfield 2008)

Impact: 

Crowds out native species (Woodfield 2008)

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Federally Regulated

  • Noxious Weeds Program
    USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.

    Includes species listed as a Federal Noxious Weed under the Plant Protection Act, which makes it illegal in the U.S. to import or transport between States without a permit.

Images

Videos

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Caulerpa, Mediterranean Clone.

Council or Task Force
Priority Species: Caulerpa

Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Washington Invasive Species Council.

Species of Concern Fact Sheet: Caulerpa
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
Partnership
Environment Alert Bulletin - Caulerpa taxifolia, a Growing Menace for the Temperate Marine Environment (Jan 2004)

United Nations Environment Programme.

Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - Fact Sheet: Caulerpa taxifolia

USDA. APHIS. PPQ. Center for Plant Health Science and Technology; California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Global Invasive Species Database - Caulerpa taxifolia (alga)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Species Compendium - Caulerpa taxifolia
CAB International.
Non-native Species Information: Caulerpa
Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat.
Federal Government
Aquatic Invasive Species on the West Coast: Caulerpa taxifolia

DOC. NOAA. National Marine Fisheries Service. West Coast Region.

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS) - Caulerpa taxifolia (invasive genotype)
Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Marine Invasions Research Lab.
PLANTS Database - Killer Alga
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
International Government
Eradicating and preventing the spread of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia in New South Wales (Jun 2004)
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Australia).
Weeds in Australia - Aquarium Caulerpa (Caulerpa taxifolia)
Australian Government. Department of the Environment and Energy.
Academic
Aquatic Invasions! A Menace to the West - Caulerpa (PDF | 495 KB)
Oregon Sea Grant.
See also: Species Guides for more resources
Caulerpa Taxifolia or Killer Alga

University of California - Riverside. Center for Invasive Species Research.

Introduced Species Summary Project - Killer Algae
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Plant Profile: Caulerpa taxifolia

University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.

Professional
Deep Sea Invasion (Apr 1, 2003)
PBS. NOVA.

Citations