Synonyms: (basyonim) Corallium lichenoides Ellis (1768) p. 407; Millepora lichenoides (Ellis) Ellis & Solander (1786) p. 131 (non Millepora lichenoides Linnaeus (1758) p. 791); Nullipora agariciformis Pallas (1766) p. 269; Millepora alga Gmelin (1791) p. 3789; Millepora byssoides var. fasciculus Lamarck (1818) p. 204; Nullipora lichenoides (Ellis) Templeton (1836) p. 470; Melobesia lichenoides (Ellis) Harvey (1849) p. 111 (non Melobesia lichenoides (Philippi) Endlicher (1843) p. 49); Mastophora lichenoides (Ellis) Kützing (1849) p. 697 (pro parte); Lithophyllum lichenoides (Ellis) Rosanoff ex Hauck (1883) p. 268 (non Lithophyllum lichenoides Philippi (1837) p. 389); Melobesia lichenoides Crouan (1867); Mastophora lichenoides Crouan 1867; Lithothamnion lichenoides (Ellis) Foslie (1895) p. 206; Lithothamnium agariciforme Foslie (1898) p. 5; Tenarea lichenoides (Ellis) Küntze (1898) p. 433; Sphaeranthera lichenoides (Ellis) Heydrich (1907) p. 222.

VEGETATIVE FEATURES

Thallus habit: encrusting, foliose with glossy lamellae, fragile, wavy surface and concentric folds. Superimposed lamellae become widened peripherally and attached centrally only. Lobed, bent, striped margin; rounded, glossy edge having the same thickness or just thicken of the rest of the thallus. Size: 2-3cm diameter, 0.1-0.4mm thick. Colour of living specimen: from coral pink to violet pink. Colour of dried specimen: walnut, lightly rimmed, white ivory. 

Basal crust: multistratose, multilayered. Medulla: cells in concentric rows (A), divided by thick cell walls, continuous (15) 25-30 (35)µm long x 10-12 (17)µm in diameter. Thickness 180µm. Cortex: cells in distinct rows, rectangular 6-10µm long x 4-7µm in diameter. Thickness 60µm. Epithallial cells: rounded. Cell connections: cell fusions.

Gametangial conceptacles: spermatangial, conical, flattened (B), 450-650µm diameter x 500-710µm high; carpogonial (rare) hemispherical, conical, inner diameter 400-470µm x 105µm high. Tetra/bisporangial conceptacles: multiporate (80-100 pores), hemispherical with apical plugs (C); (450) 600-800 (1350)µm in diameter x 150-370µm high. Phenology: June-September.

Habitat: epilithic, mixed with other Corallinaceae (ex.: Lithothamnion philipii) or on pebbles, epiphytic on Posidonia rhizomes, but also under Laminariales (with which it seems to grow together, com. verb. Giaccone, 1972); more frequently recorded in shaded sites with bottom energy. Bathymetric distribution: midlittoral to sublittoral; specimen of this species can be collected under the “encorbellement“ a Lithophyllum byssoides. Geographic distribution (Babbini & Bressan 1997):

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