Algae
Sea lettuce
Ulva lactuca
(VIIIa) Bay of Biscay - North, (VIIIb) Bay of Biscay - Central
Zones de pêche
Wild
Origine
—
Taille minimale
Description
Sea lettuce is a green alga that forms a thin, flattened, translucent thallus consisting of only two layers of cells. Its flexible blade ranges in color from light green to dark green, with a smooth to slightly wavy margin. It typically measures 5 to 50 cm in length, but can reach 1 meter in nutrient-rich environments. It attaches itself using a small basal disc that allows it to adhere to rocks, breakwaters, or shells. Its texture is membranous, shiny, and sometimes lobed or irregularly indented.
It is a very hardy seaweed that can also be found detached and floating, sometimes forming accumulations.
It is a very hardy seaweed that can also be found detached and floating, sometimes forming accumulations.
Habitat
It is found in the mid-littoral to lower littoral zones, generally at depths of 0 to 10 meters. It thrives particularly well in shallow, well-lit waters on all types of substrates, especially in sheltered, nutrient-rich areas.
Distribution
It is found in the Atlantic, the Indo-Pacific, the North Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Arctic.