Description: Thallus up to 60 cms long and attached by discoid holdfast. Frond flat and membranous with a clear mid-rib. The side branches are clearly dichotomous. Air bladders absent, but false bladders do sometimes occur.

Habitat: Not uncommon in estuaries and other brachish-water sites.

Distribution: Widespread around the British Isles. Europe: Azores, Portugal, Atlantic Spain and France, Netherlands, Baltic Sea, Norway and Iceland. Greenland. Further afield in the Arctic Seas: Spitzbergen and Baffin Bay.

Similar Species: The latteral dichotomous branching is the main distinguishing feature. Superficially similar to Fucus vesiculosus however the swellings on the frond are not clear air bladders as found in Fucus vesiculosus. The frond of Fucus spiralis is not so thin and is usually clearly twisted.

Key Identification Features:

• Branching dichotomous, without toother edge or true air bladders.

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

iNaturalist: Fucus ceranoides at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Fucus ceranoides at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Fucus ceranoides Linnaeus, 1753. AphiaID: 145542.

Classification: Biota; Chromista; Harosa; Heterokonta; Ochrophyta; Phaeophyceae; Fucophycidae; Fucales; Fucaceae; Fucus