D. Leonalvarez et J. Gonzalezgonzalez, CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISTRIBUTION AND MORPHS OF RALFSIA-HANCOCKII DAWSON (PHAEOPHYTA) IN THE MEXICAN TROPICAL PACIFIC, Botanica marina, 38(5), 1995, pp. 359-367
The environmental distribution, growth forms of the communities where
Ralfsia hancockii Dawson grows and morphs of the species are described
. The species is widely distributed environmentally. It grows best in
places where a combination of gradient of factors gives extreme micro-
conditions such as strong wave shock at high tide with dessication and
high solar radiation at low tide or under the quiet conditions of hig
h midlittoral shallow pools. Under these conditions it forms extensive
growths becoming the dominant species. These growths can form isolate
d patches or they can be interrupted by erect thalli of different spec
ies. Chaetomorpha antennina (Bory) Kutz. and Chnoospora a minima (Heri
ng) Papenfuss are its principal associated species. Two morphs are des
cribed in relation to the micro-conditions in which they are most freq
uently found.