Species profile
Spiral Wrack
Fucus spiralis
At a glance
Spiral Wrack (Fucus spiralis) is a marine alga with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
Confirmed by 416 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Maine, Nova Scotia, and Massachusetts the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- It lives in the highest intertidal zone, exposed to air for most of each tidal cycle.
- Fronds twist in a characteristic spiral that becomes especially visible as the seaweed dries.
- Lacks the air bladders found in its close relative bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus).
- Unlike most Fucus species, spiral wrack is hermaphroditic, producing both eggs and sperm in the same receptacle.
- Grows to about 40 cm (16 inches) and is common across North Atlantic rocky coastlines.
Where Spiral Wrack are seen
Background
Fucus spiralis is a species of seaweed, a brown alga (Heterokontophyta, Phaeophyceae), living on the littoral shore of the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It has the common names of spiral wrack and flat wrack.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Spiral Wrack article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other brown algae/kelps on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.