Caulerpa, Mediterranean Clone

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 (Diaz et al. 2012)

Means of Introduction

Aquarium trade (Diaz et al. 2012)

Impact

Crowds out native species (Woodfield 2008)

Mediterranean clone of caulerpa, plants

Credit

Photo by Rachel Woodfield; Merkel & Associates, Inc.

Source

Invasive.org.

Find more images

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Mediterranean Clone of Caulerpa
- University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
- Provides state, county, point and GIS data. Maps can be downloaded and shared.

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.

Videos

YouTube - Attack of the Killer Algae - Eric Noel Muñoz
- Google. YouTube; TED-Ed.

All Resources

View and Filter All Caulerpa, Mediterranean Clone Resources

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Council or Task Force

Priority Species: Caulerpa
- Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Washington Invasive Species Council.

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.
Weeds Australia - Caulerpa (Caulerpa taxifolia)
- Centre for Invasive Species Solutions; Atlas of Living Australia; Australian Government. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Federal Government

Caulerpa Species on the West Coast
- 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).

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

Diaz, S., J.R. Smith, S.F. Zaleski, et al. 2012. Effectiveness of the California state ban on the sale of Caulerpa species in aquarium retail stores in southern California. Environmental Management 50:89–96.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Caulerpa taxifolia. [Accessed Feb 28, 2015].
Jousson, O., J. Pawlowski, L. Zaninetti, A. Meinesz, and C.F. Boudouresque. 1998. Molecular evidence for the aquarium origin of the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia introduced to the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 172:275-280.
Meusnier, I., J.L. Olsen, W.T. Stam, C. Destombe, M. Valero. 2001. Phylogenetic analyses of Caulerpa taxifolia (Chlorophyta) and of its associated bacterial microflora provide clues to the origin of the Mediterranean introduction. Molecular Ecology 10(4):931-946.
Woodfield, R. 2008. Noxious Seaweed Found in Southern California Coastal Waters. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Regional Office.

Find more images

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Mediterranean Clone of Caulerpa

Federally Regulated

Noxious Weeds Program

Videos

YouTube - Attack of the Killer Algae - Eric Noel Muñoz

All Resources

Selected Resources

Priority Species: Caulerpa

Environment Alert Bulletin - Caulerpa taxifolia, a Growing Menace for the Temperate Marine Environment

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

Global Invasive Species Database - Caulerpa taxifolia (alga)

Invasive Species Compendium - Caulerpa taxifolia

Non-native Species Information: Caulerpa

Weeds Australia - Caulerpa (Caulerpa taxifolia)

Caulerpa Species on the West Coast

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS) - Caulerpa taxifolia (invasive genotype)

PLANTS Database - Killer Alga

Eradicating and preventing the spread of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia in New South Wales

Aquatic Invasions! A Menace to the West - Caulerpa [PDF, 495 KB]

Caulerpa Taxifolia or Killer Alga

Introduced Species Summary Project - Killer Algae

Plant Profile: Caulerpa taxifolia

Deep Sea Invasion