Fuzzy gracilaria? Can anyone ID?

[reddevilant]

So my brother found this at his job on the North shore of Long Island. It seems a lot like a thin, long, stringy gracilaria but with hair. Anybody know what species this is?

 

[SPR1968]

I can’t answer the specific question, but I can bump the thread to see if we can get you some help

 

[WheatToast]

It reminds me of the Red seabroom (Digenea simplex) which has a distribution that extends to Long Island. It’s probably not the same species though (there are so many similar species of red macroalgae).

 

[reddevilant]

Update! One of my marine biology courses actually provided us with a book all about macro algae on Long Island! So I believe this species is called Dasya baillouviana, (common name: Chenille Weed). If anyone is interested the book is called Seaweeds of Long Island Sound by Margaret Stewart Van Patten. The pdf is free, should be the first link on google.