Underwater surveys conducted by Natural England off the south coast of Cornwall have revealed a collection of rare and scientifically important seaweeds. Among the discoveries is a tiny red seaweed, a newly identified Ceramium (pincer weed), which has been confirmed as entirely new to science.
This Ceramium is only a few millimetres across and was previously too small to identify. Divers collected living fragments, allowing scientists to grow it in a lab and sequence its DNA for the first time. Professor Christine Maggs, a seaweed taxonomy authority, stated she had been investigating this minute Ceramium since the early 1980s.
The surveys also recorded Ulva rigida, a green sea lettuce never previously confirmed in the UK, and Neofolia rosea, found only once before in the UK at this specific site. Additionally, Bonnemaisonia clavata, a delicate red seaweed, was found, having last been seen in British waters in the 18th century.
Maerl beds, formed by slow-growing, coral-like red seaweed, are described as highly biodiverse shallow-water habitats. These habitats are vital for supporting healthy fisheries and providing nursery grounds for marine life, as well as playing a role in carbon sequestration.