Hobbies And Interests
Green Seaweed
Seaweeds or "limu" in Hawaiian, have been a major piece of the food web for both humans and animals. Able to produce starches and sugars, these underwater plants are the favorite meal of most marine animals. Hawaii is estimated to host around 600 unique species of seaweeds and these plants are divided into three basic groups according to their color: Phylum Clorophyta (green seaweeds), Phylum Phaeophyta (brown seaweeds) and Phylum Rhodophyta (red seaweeds).
The mud weed (Avrainvillea amadelpha) is one type of green seaweed. This highly invasive underwater plant usually grows on the sand, sticking through the volatile surface. This type of plant has a reputation to form large meadows under the water.
The macroalgae Boodlea composite is another plant that belongs to the green seaweed family. These tiny and spongy masses are mostly common on tidepools and rocks that are exposed to wave surges. The Bornetella sphaerica, which is likely to be found on reefs and stones in not-so-deep waters, and the Bryopsis pennata, which is also found on shallow reefs, are other underwater plants that belong to the green seaweed family.
Brown Seaweed
The family of brown seaweeds also hosts a number of interesting underwater plants. Among them is the brown-eared seaweed, also scientifically known as Padina australis. This underwater plant is abundant in many quiet and sandy reefs. Lightly calcified, this plant has blades that are a few inches wide and are rolled into circular disks. It is also a favorite among crabs, snails and shrimps. Other well-known underwater plants that belong to the brown seaweed category are the Nemacystus decipiens, which can attain height up to 16 inches long, and the colorful Lobophora variegate, which is lightly calcified and usually stiff.
Red Seaweed
Red seaweed are red underwater plants and are usually the ones that are easy to spot because of their red color varying at different shades. The famous Halymenia red algae, for example, is a common sight for most scuba divers. These large plants have single branches from where they hook themselves and the branches usually glow from yellow to reddish brown. The heavy calcified Amphiroa beauvoisii is also existent on shallow reefs. You can easily identify them by their thin branches. Other red type species are the Dasya iridescens and the Gibsmithia hawaiiensis which are very common at scuba diving depths.