Synonyms: Corallina spermophoros Ellis (1756) p. 66; Corallina corniculata Linnaeus (1758) p. 806; Jania corniculata (Linnaeus) Lamouroux (1812) p. 186; Jania spermophoros Lamouroux (1812) p. 186; Corallina plumula Zanardini (1843) p. 42; Jania plumula Zanardini (1844) p. 1025; Corallina elegans Lenormand da Areschoug (1852) p. 570; Corallina rubens var. corniculata Hauck (1883) p. 279; Jania nitidula Meslin (1976) p. 418.

VEGETATIVE FEATURES

Thallus habit: erect, bushy attached by a basal crustose disc. Size: 1-4cm high. Branching: dichotomous, abundant (A). Branches: entangled. Intergenicula: cylindrical, slightly compressed, bearing basal, sometimes articulated projections (horn-like); becoming wider at distal apex, 0.40-0.75mm long x 0.10mm in diameter. Genicula: irregular filaments 90-160µm. Colour of living specimen: from violet pink more or less intense. Colour of dried specimen: white to yellow ivory.

Medulla: cells 50-120µm long. Cortex: cells 15-20µm long. Epithallial cells: polygonal, 7-10µm in diameter (B). Cell connections: cell fusions. Other features: trichocytes J-type.

Conceptacles: uniporate, intercalary, pedunculate (sometimes terminal) (C), with a short central extension bearing an adventitious branch; diameter up to 300µm. Gametangial conceptacles: --- Tetra/bisporangial conceptacles: uniporate, intercalary with a short central extension bearing an adventitious branch; diameter up to 300µm. Phenology: January.

Habitat: epilithic or epiphytic on other algae (particularly Cladostephus species), in well-lit sites. Bathymetric distribution: from surface to shallow waters (3m). Geographic distribution (Babbini & Bressan 1997):

Alboran Sea (A): Spain, Morocco; Western Mediterranean Sea (African shores) (B): Algeria; Middle Western Mediterranean Sea (C): Spain, Italy; North Western Mediterranean Sea (D): Spain, France, Italy; North Adriatic Sea (E): Italy; Croatia; Middle Adriatic Sea (F): Italy, Croatia; South Adriatic Sea (G): Italy; Albania; South Eastern Mediterranean Sea (H): Italy, Libya; Middle Eastern Mediterranean Sea (L): Italy, Turkey, Syria; North Eastern Mediterranean Sea (M): Turkey.