New Caledonia

        Tropical environments are not the most suitable for macro-algae. Nevertheless, New Caledonia boasts a high level of biodiversity in all three major algae families. There are no endless fields of seaweed as in Europe, but the different environments, from the lagoon to the outer slope, allow numerous species to establish and grow up: caulerpa and halimeda on the sandy lagoon floor, sargassum and turbinaria around the islets and numerous species of red seaweed on the outer slope, where the water is cooler. The latter can be found at depths of up to 50 metres.

Boergesenia forbesii

Stypopodium_sp

Turbinaria ornata

Ulva sp

Peyssonnelia sp

Hydroclathrus clathratus

Halimeda macroloba

Dictyosphaeria verslaysii

Ceratodictyon spongiosum

Boodlea sp

Caulerpa chemnitzia

Caulerpa cupressoides

Acknowledgements for Assistance in Species Identification

Claude Payri
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement