Description: A small creeping low-growing prostrate alga, branching irregularly from the side. Grows to about 30 mm long and dark reddish brown in colour.

Habitat: Grows on loose-lying coralline algae (maerl) in the sublittoral to about 35 m deep.

Distribution: Western coasts of the British Isles, Scotland including the Shetlands, Wales, Ireland and England. Europe: northern France.

Similar Species: Gelidium pusillum

Key Identification Features:

• Creeping low-growing. Irregularly branched without erect axes.

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

iNaturalist: Gelidiella calcicola at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Gelidiella calcicola at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Gelidiella calcicola Maggs & Guiry, 1988. AphiaID: 145568.

Classification: Biota; Plantae; Biliphyta; Rhodophyta; Eurhodophytina; Florideophyceae; Rhodymeniophycidae; Gelidiales; Gelidiellaceae; Gelidiella