Critically endangered species - marine brown alga
Nereia lophocladia. Photo: Alan Millar
Important information
Scientific name - Nereia lophocladia
Distribution - Nereria lophocladia has only been found in two places on the coast of Australia; Port Phillip Heads in Victoria and the northern and southern sides of Muttonbird Island at Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales.
Characteristics - Nereia lophocladia is one of four species in the genus Nereia: the others being Nereia filiformis (J. Agardh) Zanardini from the Mediterranean, Nereia intricata Yamada from Japan and Hawaii, and Nereia tropica Taylor from the Galapagos Islands. Two undescribed species have since been discovered from Norfolk Island and New Caledonia.