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Facts

Cyanobacteria

Calothrix-belt

Distribution
Distribution in scandinavian waters

Maximum length: About 1 mm.
Appearance: These microscopic bacterias have several closely related specie, where some can appear in such vast quantities that they build a dark coloured coating on the rocks and cliffs. This coating can be very slippery when wet. Even if the coatings are nearly black, under magnification the cells are green to blue-green in colour.
    Compare with salt lichen.
Depth: The belts are found from sea level and about 10 m up on the cliffs.
Environment: Cyranobacteria is found on cliffs and rocks that preferably face the southwest. The largest areas these bacterias cover are where powerful waves and surf reach the beach.
Misc.: When a slippery, black membrane is scraped from the rocks, cell threads from many specie are present. It can be composed of different species of the calothrix family, but can also contain certain red and green algae. But it is usually some form of calothrix specie that dominate the black belts above the waterline.
Classification: Has its own group known as cyanobacteria.


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Bo Johannesson | Martin Larsvik | Lars-Ove Loo | Helena Samuelsson