Description: Small brush-like tufts to 5 mm long arising from a basal cushion. Erect filaments unbranched and uniseriate.

Habitat: Very rare. Epiphytic on algae in the lower littoral.

Distribution: Only recorded from Dorset and Devon in England, south Wales and a few records from the south of Ireland. Europe: Mediterranean, France, Netherlands, Denmark, the Baltic, Sweden, Norway. Atlantic coast of North America: Massachusetts and New Jersey. Further afield: the Canary Islands and Japan.

Similar Species: Other species of Elachista and other small tufted algae require microscopic examination for identification.

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

iNaturalist: Elachista stellaris at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Elachista stellaris at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Elachista stellaris J.E. Areschoug, 1842. AphiaID: 144943.

Classification: Biota; Chromista; Harosa; Heterokonta; Ochrophyta; Phaeophyceae; Fucophycidae; Ectocarpales; Chordariaceae; Elachista