Colonization by the alien marine alga Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen) J. Ag. (Rhodophyta: Gigartinales) in the Hawaiian islands and its utilization by the green turtle, Chelonia mydas L.

Abstract

In Hawaii, the alien red alga, Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen) J. Ag., was originally planted on reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, in January 1974, but has since spread to many other locations on Oahu and to other Hawaiian islands. This alga, along with the previously introduced alien seaweed, Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl) Boerg., is now being prominently used as a food source by the green turtle ( Chelonia mydas L.) in the Hawaiian Islands. This is the first known documentation of introduced algae being incorporated into the diet of the green turtle, a species considered endangered world-wide.